


404 Not Found

by SinnySkelle



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Dealing With Loss, Drama, Dry Humping, Fluff and Angst, Grief/Mourning, Just go ahead and tag "Ecto Everything", Lets put a little Omorashi in there because why the fuck not, Little bit of Non-Con & Dub-Con, Little bit of hurt/comfort, Lots of drama, Lots of sexy time, M/M, Memory Alteration, Memory Loss, Only because of the nature of Error's haphephobia, Poor reaper, Post Geno Death Timeline, Reaper needs hugs, Semi-Public Sex, Slow Burn, So does Error, Some Bondage, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, angst and healing, comes with the territory, kinky toys, prepare for feels
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-18
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:35:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 33,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26529076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SinnySkelle/pseuds/SinnySkelle
Summary: A mysterious incident causes an explosion in the Save Screen and Geno's disappearance. Reaper soon comes to find Geno hasn't just disappeared, he's been erased. After a millennia searching for his lost love, Reaper finally comes to terms that Geno has died. As he struggles with adjusting to life without Geno, a brutal battle happens half way across the multiverse, leaving countless dead. What first started out as a simple call to his job turns out to be a fateful encounter.
Relationships: Error/Reaper, Sans/Sans (Undertale)
Comments: 59
Kudos: 216





	1. Find Me

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! So if you follow me on Twitter, then you know that recently I had some saving issues and lost a lot of work that I had been working on. Well this was part of it. lol Had to rewrite this whole freaking thing! But instead of getting discouraged it got me really hyped about the story. Silver linings I guess. 
> 
> This fic was inspired by a lot of things. I think at some point everyone got on the Error x Reaper hype train.  
> Inspiration came from [TheGrinningKitten's](https://twitter.com/GrinningKit) comic ["The Killing Kind"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nl4QvXHRD6c&ab_channel=ZoraMoyashi).  
> Also came from [Nozapuns](https://twitter.com/nozapuns) beautiful Error x Reaper artwork.  
> So like a mesh of those plus so much more. 
> 
> I just really wanted to have a chance to delve into Reaper and Error's relationship dynamic.

To anyone just watching, everything stayed the same.

The Multiverse, with all its expansive worlds, marched on to the beat of their own codes. Following the pattern each timeline was subjected to. Resets continued; some timelines progressed, while others started back at the beginning. New worlds were created and some were destroyed. It was the never-ending life-cycle of the Multiverse. Creation, resets, destruction, repeat. Everything stayed the same.

Except for Reaper.

To anyone just watching, the Multiverse was the same as it always was, but Reaper knew where to look. In fact, it was impossible for him to miss it. In an instant his whole world had been destroyed. Vanished like a sea of broken, missing code. In hindsight he should have predicted this. He should have paid more attention to the small hints and tells. He should have done something, _anything_. He should have _known_ \- Well, no… that’s not true. No amount of hindsight could have prepared Reaper for this…

Reaper stared with hollow sockets at the glitched and fractured part of the void that used to house Geno’s frozen soul. A singular spot in space and time that Geno had fled to in order to survive. The unfortunate outcome of fighting with all his might against the human child’s constant genocides and resets of his original timeline. His last ditch effort to save his home, friends, and brother. The extra determination he injected himself with freezing him in a constant, perpetual state of death. Leaving him stuck in the Save Screen.

The fighting spirit that had long been inside Geno before he was injected with determination pushed him to act whereas other Sanses gave up. It made him fierce and dangerous. He never stopped fighting, even in the Save Screen.

But now-

He was gone.

Everything was gone. Their little homestead they created. Photos of them together. The fireplace that was always lit that kept the place warm. The well-loved green sofa Reaper bought to replicate the one Geno was used to. The bed the two so often shared, slumbering in each other’s arms. The place that Geno called home before Reaper had found a way to get him out of the Save Screen safely. Everything had vanished. There was nothing left but the broken walls of the void where spots of code were visible. As if some massive explosion of corrupted data wiped everything out. 

It was completely empty.

Reaper felt numbing hollowness roil inside his chest at the sight. The absence of Geno was colder than death itself. Reaper’s scythe slipped from his fingers and clattered soundlessly to the floor.

Geno was gone. 

Tears formed in Reaper’s empty sockets, dripping down his cheeks with a few scant drops before a constant stream started. Geno… his best friend, his mate, his everything was gone. It’s as if he never existed. As if every memory they made together in the save screen was scrubbed clean, _erased_.

The weight of the loss was too much. Reaper’s legs gave out and the god of death crumbled to his knees at the vast, barren void of the save screen. 

There was nothing left.

Except for one thing.

Off in the dark corner of the void was something soft and red. A color that used to be vibrant, but had since faded over the years into a more muted warmth.

The forgotten, well-loved and worn crimson scarf that Geno wore.

With trembling movements, Reaper stood and made his way over to the lone scarf. The god stared down at the garment, anguish screaming at the hollow numbness of his soul. Geno would never abandon this scarf. It belonged to his late brother, Papyrus. Reaper stared at the scarf for what seemed like an eternity until he noticed droplets falling onto the precious accessory. Flinching, Reaper realized with soul crushing finality that Geno was gone.

What once used to be the constant call of Geno’s soul crying out for the god of death to find him was now silent.

Reaper could no longer sense Geno’s magic.

And now he found Geno’s scarf left behind in the empty void.

With trembling hands Reaper reached down and gingerly lifted up the delicate scarf. The warmth that Geno always had thanks to the determination in his soul no longer permeated over the cloth; the scarf long since gone cold without its owners body heat. Yet… the smell of Geno still lingered. The only thing that proved Geno ever really existed.

Biting back the wail of despair and swallowing down the lump in his throat, Reaper lifted the scarf to his face, taking in the scent of his lost love. His jaw clenched and his ‘lips’ trembled as his sockets shut tight. Tears fell endlessly as Reaper mourned the loss of the one who meant everything to him.

The god silently cried, frozen in time inside the save screen.

He would spend the better part of a millennia searching every inch of the multiverse for his lost soulmate.

Even after he would accept that Geno was gone, his soul would never heal. The only one Reaper would ever love was gone. It was only fair that for his failure to protect the one he loved he spend the rest of eternity alone mourning the loss of Geno. Reaper was content with this. It’s what he deserved. It was the least he could do for Geno.

Reaper would wonder the multiverse, continuing his job to reap the souls of the dead, and remember his failure and his loss.

He would forever remember Geno. Forever love him, even after death.

________________________________________________

Off in another part of the Multiverse, more explosions rang through the partially destroyed timeline of Underlust. Parts of the underground were exposed to open code. Buildings left to crumble in their half-hazardly broken place. Monsters fled for safety, desperate to get away from Snowdin, the epicenter of the destruction and chaos. Meanwhile two beings stood at the center of it all, their clashing just as destructive as the initial attack. Their explosive blows more dangerous than the crumbling structures around them.

“Error you have to calm down! Remember our pact!” Ink shouted as he swung his paint brush to deflect an ambush of crimson bones. The bones shattered, some splintering off and impaling nearby buildings. Ink’s sockets narrowed at the destruction, his eye lights shifting to a red crosshair and blue rhombus. “Look at what you’re doing to this place!” He took a less defensive stance, hoping to help calm his friend and mortal enemy down. He held out his arms, exposing himself to Error’s danger in hopes of getting through to the other. 

“What am _I_ doing?! What about this place?!” Error screamed, his glitching intensifying with his anger. His body barely held together by his fractured code as he stood on shaky legs, his feet buried in inches of Snowdin snow. “I came here like you asked because YOU wanted to show me something! And when I got here YOU were nowhere to be found!” Error pointed an accusatory finger at Ink, causing the other to deflate with a frown. “While I waited for you, these… these disgusting abominations TOUCHED ME!” Error finished with a screech, his eye lights gone in place of more error signs. He held onto himself, shaking violently as the memory repeated in his mind over and over. The citizens of Underlust didn’t just try to touch him. Their hands wondered. Fingers and paws groped his bones, thinking he was Lust. And even after they realized that Error wasn’t Lust, they didn’t stop. The inhabitants of the lust cursed AU too enamored with his darkened yet multi-colored bones to care. To them, Error was just a new face, with an attractive body. No matter how much he screamed at them to stop and get off him, they didn’t. The hands continued to roam, touch, pull, scrape, grope – until Error couldn’t handle it anymore. He screamed as his glitching took over. Long spikes of bones shot out around him to protect himself from the hands. His strings snapped the arms of those who hadn’t been spared a quick painless death from the bone piercings. And still, even though no one was around him, Error could still feel those hands on him.

Error tried to be good. He tried! He told them no. He screamed at them to stop.

“Error…” Ink whispered, his throat tight with regret. He had gotten sidetracked on his way to Underlust, like he normally did. Ink knew he was a bit of a scatter brain from time to time, but until this moment, it had never been an issue. Sure Error would be annoyed with his tardiness, but he knew Ink’s short attention span was a part of him, just like how Ink knew Error’s haphephobia was a part of him…

Ink looked down, not sure what to say to his friend. ‘I’m sorry’ didn’t seem like it would cut it this time.

Ink’s obvious remorse was lost on Error as the other continued to struggle with his glitching. He was teetering into a painful crash. Plus, it didn’t matter anyway. It’s not like Ink’s remorse was real. If Ink hadn’t drunk the right kind of paints this morning, he probably would have laughed in Error’s face by now. The static around his body worsened as Error lost himself further into the memories of Underlust’s inhabitants touching him, laughing at his fear and discomfort, ignoring his screams. As if fighting off the memories itself, Error’s magic reacted on its own, spawning and charging multiple Gaster Blasters. Error’s muttering got louder as the blasters collected energy. “stop it stop it stop stop don’t touch me…”

Ink gasped at the sight of Error’s blasters. “Error! Stop this right now!”

“stop let me go stop touching me…” Error continued to ramble, his body shaking, his eye lights gone. The Gaster Blasters continued to charge.

Ink felt a nervous sweat drip down his skull. His friend was too far gone. There was no getting through to the other. If Ink didn’t do something fast, Error was going to completely destroy the timeline.

With a high pitched whine and a loud charge, the beams shot from the Gaster Blasters, scorching the ground and cutting buildings in half. The heat and intensity from the beams shook the world around them. More parts of the world tore away to open code as the blasters destroyed the area.

“Error!” Ink shouted and jumped towards the firing weapons. With a flick of his wrist, Ink grabbed a smaller paint brush from his sash before launching an assault of inky bones at the blasters. With spine tingling cracks the blasters shattered, leaving their owner open and defenseless. Ink wasted no time as he jumped up into Error’s space before striking him hard with Broomy, watching his friend/enemy fly back till he landed hard against a sturdy Snowdin tree. Ink winced when he heard the bark of the tree snap. He may have hit Error too hard…

Error groaned weakly while gasping for air. Fuck Ink really knocked the wind out of him. The world destroyer blinked a few time, his sight finally coming back now that the error signs were no longer clouding his vision. Once his sight cleared, the best it could with his poor vision, he finally spotted Ink and glared harshly at the other. “You asshole! What was that for?!” Error shouted with a wheeze, his voice skipping like a broken record.

Ink sighed with relief seeing Error still holding onto consciousness. Good, he hadn’t hurt him too bad. Error was after all one of the strongest sans’ in the multiverse. It would take more than one good hit to take him down. He knew from experience. Ink slowly rose from his offensive stance to point Broomy accusatively at the defeated skeleton. “You were destroying the AU! We talked about this! When we are hanging out as friends, neither one is supposed to work!”

Error growled at Ink’s insinuation and tone. This fucking rainbow asshole had some nerve. “I wasn’t working, I was defending myself!” What did Ink expect him to do, sit back and take it? Let these disgusting abominations have their way with him? The thought alone almost made him crash.

“This was way more than self-defense, Error! Look at the place!” Ink gestured to the destroyed battlefield that was once Snowdin. The ground glitched as pieces of AU tore open to exposed code. Buildings around them crumbled, threatening to topple over completely, what was left of them to topple over that is. The citizens that survived had long since fled to safer parts of the AU, leaving Snowdin to the two out-codes.

Error looked around and tsked. It wasn’t his fault these rude assholes didn’t understand the meaning of the word ‘no’. If they had left him alone, their world would have been fine. They deserved whatever fucked up, broken AU they had left. He’d just destroy it later anyway.

Ink saw the way Error was glaring off to the side, his stubborn, thick skull refusing to admit he went too far. “Error!” Ink shouted in warning. Ink really enjoyed Error’s company, truly he did. Even though sometimes the glitch would get snippy, or try to attack him if he said or did something to set the other off, Ink had worked hard to build their tentative friendship over the hundreds of years. Error was the only one in the entire multiverse who understood Ink. They were both out-codes. No AU of their own to call home. They were opposites, but similar in so many ways. Ink wanted so badly to forge stronger relations with Error, but it was difficult when Error would continue to destroy even when they weren’t at their jobs. “Can’t you hold off from destroying? Even just for a little while? I really wanted to spend time with you today, Error. Why did you have to ruin it?” Ink finished bitterly with a small pout. “Now I have so much work to do cleaning up your mess.” He knew it wasn’t all Error’s fault, but he lacked the proper paint to hold empathy at the moment. Right now all he could feel was annoyance. He would have to spend the rest of the day fixing this AU instead of doing what he had planned.

Error bristled. “I ruined it?!” How could Ink even say that? It’s not like he planned for this to happen! It’s not like he was excited to hang out with Ink or anything. It’s not like he waited for the day all week. He was bored, and Ink promised to show him something fun. That’s all. So of course Error was looking forward to the day. Not because of Ink. Because of the fun thing Ink supposedly had planned. Yeah, that’s it. So for Ink to blame him after he looked forward to the day ever since Ink invited him, it hurt…

How dare Ink hurt him. Now he was _pissed_. Error wasn’t the most knowledgeable when it came to friendship, but he knew enough to know Ink was being a shitty friend! That rainbow bastard was going to regret what he said.

Error slowly stood up, being sure to support his ribs which he knew a few had cracked thanks to Ink’s not so gentle strike. “Oh I’m sorry me getting assaulted ruined your day…” Error began, his glitching voice low and dangerous. Sounding almost as if it was scraping metal. His fingers on the arm that wasn’t supporting his chest rested upon his face, phalanges twitching. “Here, let me make it up to you…” With a flick of Error’s wrist, a mess of blue strings were pulled from his sockets, his crazed grin meeting Ink’s weary stare. “You won’t have anything to clean up if there’s nothing left of this disgusting AU!” Error shouted as he flung his strings forward. Tethers latched onto bits of code as Error tore away at the AU. The ground began to shake as the world became unstable.

“Error stop!” Ink shouted and gripped Broomy, ready to strike. But before Ink could even move, a mess of blue strings shot right at him, binding him and throwing him away like a ragged doll. Ink landed non-too-gently against the remains of Grillby’s strip club. With a wheezed gasp, Ink slowly stood back up. “Okay… I deserved that.” He admitted with a small twinge of regret that was quickly being replaced by a lick of heat that wanted to become anger. Ink slowly wiped some blood from his mouth on his sleeve as he leveled Error with a glare. It seemed like there was no talking to Error at this point. Why did so many of their outings ending up like this? Ink decided to mourn their rocky friendship later as he pulled out a vial of red paint from his bandolier. With a pop to the lid, Ink took a small sip. He let the paint flow in him, his eye lights changing to a red X and red crosshair. He had to stop Error before he destroyed the AU beyond repair.

Error eyed Ink as he watched the other down a gulp of red paint. Error had been fighting Ink long enough to know what red paint meant. Ink was pissed. And Error was in for a bad time. He knew the best thing to do was to avoid the guardian when he was high off red paint, but Error’s pride was too hurt to agree. Ink chased him around for centuries pestering him with questions trying to get him to talk and open up, following him to AU’s when he wasn’t even working, hanging out with him filling the space with idle chatter, constantly offering friendship. And now that Error gave a tentative agreement, Ink turns around and does this?! As if he doesn’t even care what happened to him!

Well, Error knew Ink couldn’t _really_ care about him. But he wanted him to at least fake it damn it!

He knew he was the world destroyer, Error knew he didn’t deserve compassion… but he wanted Ink to want to care… to be cared about…

But no! Apparently that was too much to ask! Fucking soulless, rainbow bastard!

In return to Ink’s warning glare, Error readied himself with a set of blasters at his side, shooting a challenging scowl right back.

Ink didn’t waste any more time. The smaller skeleton lunged at the other as the two blasters fired their beams. Ink skillfully evaded the shots, jumping close into Error’s space at the same time launching two bones to destroy the blasters. Error was a mid to long range fighter, there were clear disadvantages when opponents got close to him. Ink took advantage of this and swung Boomy at Error’s chest yet again.

Error growled and jumped back in time to avoid another blow to his ribs. He used his strings to pull him up, high above the guardian. “Getting too easy to read Ink! Come up with some new attacks!” Error shouted as he grabbed another handful of strings from his eyes and shot them forward. A mess of blue strings crisscrossed and zigzagged towards Ink. At the same time he summoned two more blasters and fired them at Ink as well.

Ink didn’t respond. He normally didn’t engage in fun banter with Error when he was fresh off red ink. It was unfortunate, because Error was really fun to fight, especially when they were throwing zingers at one another. Just another thing he didn’t get to enjoy today because Error decided to throw a tantrum. Ink spun Broomy around, ready to cut the strings but flinched when half the threats wrapped around Broomy and the other half continued to wrap around him. Ink had only a few moments to summon a pair of blasters to counter Error’s shots.

Not good. Ink had the unfortunate experience of being tied up in Error’s strings one too many times. Normally it was to keep Ink from touching the haphephobic skeleton, or to toss him out the antivoid, but when Error was mad, being caught in his strings was a death sentence. Ink had no choice but to go for broke. He let go of Broomy and jumped up into the mess of strings, landing a firm right hook against Error’s cheek.

“Ack!” Error shouted as he was punched off his nest of strings down to the cold harsh snow and ice below.

Ink flinched when he heard another painful, spine-tingling crack. Error had landed skull first. “Error?!” Ink stood still, his breath caught in his throat.

Error groaned in pain as he slowly sat up, a hand holding his skull where blood dripped between his fingers.

“Error! Ah!” Ink was cut off when a few sneaky strings wrapped their way around his leg.

“You bastard!” Error hissed and flung the annoying artist up in the air before slamming him back down onto the cold hard icy snow below. “Let’s see how you like it!” For good measure, Error then shot a row of crimson bones at the other, ready to impale him to the ground.

Ink coughed and gasped as he was slammed against the ground. He trembled with pain, but was quick to retaliate. With the help of red ink numbing the pain in place of blind fury, he quickly jumped back up dodging the row of bones. He then shot out at Error, throwing a wave of black inky bones of his own at the other, noticing Error had yet to get back up. It was an opening. A cheap one, but the quicker Ink could pin Error down, the faster they could end this. 

“Damn it!” Error hissed. He couldn’t move fast enough. The best he could do was raise his arms defensively and try to keep the bones from hitting anywhere vital. Error could feel his bones shake as the razor sharp attacks cut through him, slicing up his clothes and leaving painful cuts along his cheek and arms.

“Error…” Ink called out dangerously, his voice holding none of its normal cheer. “Knock this off. Stop throwing a tantrum and let’s call it a day. You already ruined our play date…” Ink added at the end with a soft, bitter tone, glancing off to the side with a glare.

Error blinked with wide incredulous sockets before finally glaring dangerously at the other. Glitches began to pop up more and more, almost covering Error’s body, distorting his frame. “Tantrum?” He asked between clenched teeth. “I ruined the play date?” Error asked again, this time with a deep, digital growl. “You fucking… I can’t believe I even considered calling you a friend…” Error felt the scars on his face burn. The tear streaks glowed almost as if ripples of coral blue water were running down them, mimicking the sight of tears. At the same time, real tears began to gather in Error’s sockets.

Why? Why did this _hurt_ so much?

It’s not like he cared about Ink. It’s not like he actually wanted to be friends with the annoying squid. It shouldn’t’ matter that Ink didn’t take his side. It shouldn’t matter that the soulless guardian didn’t care he was just trying to protect himself.

So why…

Error growled low, his voice skipping and layering over itself, creating almost an echo, demonic effect. “You… If you don’t care about me, then I won’t care about you! I’LL KILL YOU!” Suddenly, several dozen glitching Gaster Blasters appeared, all charging as Error leveled Ink with a crazed grin.

That’s right, no one would care about him. Why would they? He didn’t deserve it.

Ink flinched, his sockets going wide. That attack would surely wipe out the rest of the town. Anymore damage to the area and the AU would become completely unstable. Ink wasn’t even sure a Reset would fix it at that point. “Error stop!” Ink shouted as he ran forward, scooping up Broomy from the snowy ground where he’d left it mid battle. “You’ll destroy the AU! Stop!”

“I don’t care! That’s what I do remember!” Error laughed hard, his voice skipping all over the place, even though there were tears in his sockets. He raised his hand and shot it forward, directing the Gaster Blasters and finally let them shoot their attacks all at Ink.

Error wasn’t himself, Ink noticed. It was almost as if he was too emotional to fight in the normal methodical way Ink and become so accustomed to. Ink jumped and dropped himself into a puddle of black ink, easily avoiding the multitude of blaster attacks. He left behind an ink dome to absorb the brunt of the attack, leaving the AU relatively safe.

If Error wasn’t going to listen to reason, and if he was going to shoot off massive AU shattering attacks like that, Ink had no choice but to try and knock him out.

With as much speed and velocity as Ink could muster, he shot himself out of another ink puddle, right in front of Error. With Broomy already prone to attack, Ink only saw the tears in Error’s sockets when it was too late. Taken back by the sight of Error of all monsters crying, Ink flinched, but it wasn’t enough to stop the momentum of the swing. The metal band on Broomy struck dead center in the middle of Error’s rib cage.

There was a myriad of soul-stopping cracks.

Ink felt his breath catch in his throat as it tightened with shock and regret. But it was all too late. The force from the powerful strike sent Error flying back, much farther than Ink had intended, his attack too heavily charged from the red ink he had consumed.

Error let out a silent scream as the wind was knocked out of him. He could feel blood flood his mouth and with the pain being too much, Error’s body shut down and everything went black.

Ink watched as Error’s body finally fell painfully to the cold, unforgiving icy snow. But his body didn’t stop. Ink’s sockets widened, his eye lights two terrified white pin pricks as he watched Error’s body continue to slide, pushed by the momentum of the attack along with the slick ice.

Error was heading right towards a giant cliff.

“Error!” Ink shouted as he immediately dashed forward. He ran as fast as he could, slipping and scrambling against the slick icy ground, chasing after Error. “Error!” Ink panted as he raced after Error. His magic roiled inside his empty chest as he watched Error’s body slide closer and closer towards the perilous cliff.

Ink grunted as he jumped forward, sliding on his front as he reached out desperately to catch Error before he could fall. Ink’s fingers made contact with the sleeve of Error’s coat. But all the rips and tears from their battle earlier left the integrity of the coat ruined. Ink heard the defining sound of fabric tearing as a piece of sleeve tore away. Ink’s horrified sockets widened as all that was left in his hand was a shred of Error’s coat.

“ERROR!” Ink screamed at the top of his lungs as he watched Error’s body slide further and further, then finally, slip off the side of the massive cliff into the frigid, dark canyon below.

Ink’s breathing sped up until he could barely get a breath in. Terrified white eye lights watched in horror at the spot where Error used to be.

“ **ERROR!** ”

_________________________________________

It was yet another calm, uneventful afternoon in Life’s serene, picturesque garden. A cool breeze blew that caused a myriad of beautiful flowers and plants to sway in the gentle wind. Birds sang their songs high up in the trees, giving music to the quiet little getaway that few knew about. A little patch of heaven, grown by Life herself, tucked away in a little corner of the multiverse. A perfect escape to it all.

That’s why Reaper visited as often as he did.

Reaper let out a soft sigh as he tilted his skull back, letting his hood drop as he basked in the sun’s warm glow. His robe swayed in the gentle breeze, tickling his bones slightly as it moved. Reaper sat cross legged, hovering over the grass to avoid killing as much of Life’s precious garden as physically possible. His deathly touch didn’t care about his intentions. His powers had their own rules, uncaring of Reaper’s preferences. Though, Reaper had lived long enough to navigate the delicate and sometimes complicated lifestyle in order to avoid any ‘accidents’. As much as Reaper would love to feel the grass under him, he knew Life’s garden was not immune to his power, and that soft grass would only turn to dried up pricks the second he touched it. The only grass he could touch without killing was the patch of grass in Geno’s Save Scree- 

Reaper flinched, his hollow sockets opening just to narrow with annoyance.

The small movement was enough to catch Life’s attention. Or Toriel, as she liked to be called. “Sans?” She called in a gentle, worried tone. “Is everything alright?” The goddess turned to watch her friend closely, her own soft green dress shifting on the soft green grass. Her equally soft white fur stood out almost radiantly among all the color in the garden.

Reaper felt himself letting out a small, inaudible sigh. Leave it to Tori to notice every little thing that upset him. Granted, he was a lot less upset now a days, especially compared to how he was right after the _incident_. But today was different. Today was the anniversary of said incident. Reaper had done his best to keep his mind occupied. He knew his mood always plummeted around this time of year, so Reaper had come prepared. He took time off of work, packed a days’ worth of food, and hid out in Life’s garden where her barrier helped quiet the noise of the lost souls crying out to be reaped. But still, it wasn’t enough. Today always got to Reaper.

Reaper turned to look at Toriel with his best fake smile plastered on his face. He wasn’t sure how well it would convince her, but it was worth a shot. “Oh nothing Tor, just tired is all.” Reaper responded as nonchalantly as he could. “You know how lazy I am.” He added with a wink for good measure even though he could already feel his throat tightening with restrained emotions. The anniversary of the incident always broke him. But he tried to stay strong. 

Toriel hummed as she watched her friend closely. Her knowing eyes watched the way the god of death tensed, his fists just too tight against his lap, gripping his robe with an almost painful looking amount of pressure. She studied the way Sans smiled, but his throat swallowed constantly, as if trying to swallow down a whimper. She thought her words carefully as she regarded the other. “Sans, I know you are lying.” Her voice was gentle and kind as she continued, “You are always upset around this time of year. I wish you would tell me why so I could help you, but I’ve learned that no matter how many times I ask, you wish to keep the reason a secret.” Toriel let out a small, frustrated sigh at the last part. She wanted so badly to help Reaper. She cared for him, deeply, but for some reason he would not open up to her. She tried not to feel upset. After all, this time of year- whatever caused Reaper’s pain- it was not about her, it was about her friend. She had to support him the best she could. “Please my friend, let me help you this year. Do not hide behind a smile when you are so clearly in pain.”

Reaper felt his fake smile slowly drop until his true pain etched across his face. He turned away from Toriel, unable to hold her concerned gaze any longer. Reaper held his tongue, not knowing what to say. It’s not like he was trying to keep anything from Toriel. If the goddess actually thought hard enough, she might remember back to the first year, back to when the incident happened. She would remember how Reaper appeared in her garden, tears streaming down his face from his hollow sockets, begging for her help.

_“Toriel!” Reaper shouted as he portaled to Life’s garden in a hurry. He didn’t even bother trying to float to avoid killing her pants. His frantic steps left footprints of death along the grass as he ran to his friend. He stopped before her, just barely keeping himself from running into her._

_Toriel was shaken. She had never seen Reaper so flustered. The tears streaming down the other’s face was cause for alarm. His body trembled, his legs shaky, as if any moment he would collapse. He looked down right devastated. Toriel had known the god of death for years, and after seeing countless deaths, suicides, and murders, she had assumed nothing could bother the other god by this point. She was almost sure he had no empathy left, no emotions left to give. So what could possibly have the god of death so upset? Toriel worriedly shuffled around her friend as his knees finally gave way as predicted and he fell to the ground, clutching a single piece of red fabric to his chest as if it was a lifeline. “Sans! What is wrong my friend?” She asked as she held her hands out unhelpfully, unsure how to calm down her friend who was falling apart at the seams right in front of her._

_“Tori!” Reaper choked out, his throat closing around another sob. “It’s Geno! He’s missing, I can’t find him! Please, please tell me you heard from him! Please tell me he’s here!” Reaper felt like the tears were never-ending. His whole body shook as he clung to Geno’s scarf. He was hoping, praying that whatever caused the explosion in Geno’s save screen didn’t happen when he was in it. He knew it was a long shot. Why else would Geno’s scarf be left behind? The other skeleton rarely took it off. He treasured the scarf more than his own life. But still, he had to look for Geno! There was no dust in the save screen so that meant Geno was still alive, right? It had to be! Then again… Geno was filled with determination. So if he died, would he even dust? Reaper knew Geno bled. But there was no blood either! Maybe Geno ran from whatever happened. Geno didn’t like to go places, being a little agoraphobic from his time trapped in the Save Screen and all, but Geno sometimes visited Reaper’s world on his own. So maybe, just maybe…_

_“Who is Geno?”_

_Reaper froze._

_The sheer shock from Life’s words made Reaper’s tears stop. The god of death stared at the god of life with wide incredulous sockets. “Wha- What do you mean who’s Geno. He’s my mate, my boyfriend!” Reaper felt the anger rise inside him. Toriel couldn’t be serious, now wasn’t the time to be playing games!_

_Toriel gasped, a soft blush working its way onto her cheeks. “Oh my! Reaper you have a… but how? Your powers would kill anyone you touch.” Toriel’s words slowly morphed from shock to disbelief. “Wait a minute…” The goddess eyed the other with a critical stare. “This is not another one of your pranks, is it? Reaper, this type of joke is too morbid, even for you.” She ended with a stern huff, her hands on her hips ready to scold the other for scaring her so much. She knew Reaper had a morbid sense of humor, his jokes always edging on the darker side, but this was going too far. The acting, the tears, the supposed boyfriend, all just to play a trick on her!_

_Reaper stared with wide sockets at Toriel’s reprimanding tone. “What do you mean? This isn’t a joke, Tori! You know Geno! He’s my mate! The skeleton from the Save Screen. You’ve met him, everyone has met him! Hell, you and Alphys worked together to make sure he could leave the Save Screen alive! Tori he’s missing, now’s not the time-“_

_“Sans that is enough!” Toriel shouted, silencing the other god’s frantic words. Her fists clenched at her sides, tears poking in her eyes. Had Sans discovered her secret feelings for him? Is this some sort of thoughtless way to tease her? To make her feel jealous of an imaginary mortal mate? “This joke is not funny! Your prank has gone too far! As if I were to believe any mortal could have a relationship with Death.” She spat Sans’ true name like it left a foul taste in her mouth. She knew Sans did not like being called his true name, but she couldn’t help it. The anger she felt from possibly being teased, from being made to worry, all for some joke? It was too much._

_Reaper felt his mouth open, but no words came out. Toriel was angry. Pissed even. She was being serious… she really didn’t remember who Geno was. She didn’t remember the time Reaper had brought the other skeleton to his world, introducing him to all his friends and family. She didn’t remember all the holidays they shared together. It was as if everything about Geno was erased from her mind, as if he never even existed…_

_With frustrated tears, Reaper shot Toriel one last wounded look before turning and waking away. “Fine! If you won’t help me find him, I’ll find someone else who will!”_

_Toriel flinched at the pure anger and hurt from Sans’ look. Was this really all an act? “Sans please-“_

_“No. Don’t want to bother you with my problems. After all, who would care about them anyway, right? Who could possibly care about Death.” Reaper was sure to emphasize his given name, noting the way Toriel shrunk in on herself with regret. Her jab at him did not go unnoticed. But now wasn’t the time to talk about it. If Life still had hang-ups over Reaper’s job, then that was her problem, something they’d maybe talk through later. But for now, Reaper needed to find Geno._

_With a hasty portal opened, Reaper ran through, hoping to find someone who would remember Geno. Hopefully someone had seen him. He had to keep looking. He wouldn’t stop until he found his beloved._

That day, Reaper had come to realize that everyone had forgotten Geno. Toriel, Undyne, Alphys, even his brother Papyrus. They all could not recall Reaper ever having a mate. None of them remembered meeting a skeleton named Geno. It was that day that Reaper knew something terrible really happened to Geno. Something that went beyond simple physical means. Geno had been erased from history. Almost the same way most Gaster’s had been erased from time and space in their own universes.

Because of this, Reaper stopped trying to tell others what was wrong. They wouldn’t believe him anyway. It would be pointless to tell Toriel why he was so upset. She had long forgotten the meeting after the incident. A millennia had passed since then after all, so he didn’t blame her. So instead of responding to Toriel’s gentle request, Reaper instead gave her a sad, apologetic smile before turning his attention back to the sky. The warm sun didn’t feel as comforting as it did before. Then again, nothing was as warm as Geno was. “It’s nothing Tori, really… nothing at all…” Even as Reaper said this, something that he had said for years now, he still felt his soul ache. The loss of Geno weighed him down the same as it did the first day, so many years ago. It was his burden to bear. His sin he had to repent for. He failed to protect Geno, and lost the love of his life. The pain was the only memory he had to prove Geno and their relationship ever even existed. That and the single crimson scarf Reaper wore under his cloak, hidden from anyone’s view.

Toriel sighed but didn’t press the matter further. She knew Reaper wasn’t going to talk to her. At some point long ago their relationship shifted. She didn’t remember what happened exactly, but she knew she and Reaper had a fight. Ever since then, Reaper’s demeanor towards her shifted ever so slightly. It was almost as if he didn’t fully trust her anymore. Toriel frowned and clenched her fist against her lap. She truly, deeply wished she could remember what the argument was about. Maybe then she could apologize. But even that was a distant wish. If Reaper held a grudge against a fight that happened almost a millennia ago, then no amount of apologies would mend their fractured friendship. All she could do was be there for her friend from now on, and do her best to silently amend for her past.

As time went on, the two decided to remain quiet as they both basked in the warm sun, enjoying the song of the birds and the calm of the garden.

It was a melancholy calm, but a calm none the less. One Reaper was grateful for.

As Reaper took another deep breath and closed his sockets, ready to drift off into a somber nap, he felt it. The faint, but noticeable call of a soul crying out to him.

_Find me…_

Reaper flinched, but stubbornly kept his sockets closed. Life’s garden had a barrier that normally kept out the constant cries of lost souls begging to be reaped and taken to the next life. Usually he couldn’t hear a thing.

As Reaper tried not to focus on the soul, more began to flood his head.

More and more, louder and louder until it was a jumble mess. Voices shouting over one another.

H̘̜̟̥͍͞ę̗̭͇l̥̜͙p̴̘͕̤͚ͅ ҉̭̣̹ͅm͏̞̹̼̥̪e̗͓̖͕͎͞!̰̫ ̵̳ͅW̦̪͘h҉͚̺er̜̬̱͎̻e̮̮͓̗̤ ̺̦̦͓̣̯a͇̼̙̳͕̦r̗͖e ̫̮̹y͏̪̣̞̙͓͚o̘̮u!̶̪̤̗̦̯ ̤̹͕̠̝͟H̝̣̼e͏͙̭̲̣͔̲͖l̯̟̟̙p̝͕!̯͚̣̦͇̺̦͞ ̣͕̩S͉̟t̞͖ͅo͇̞p͍̝ it̘̯͙̪ p͉͍̭̹͖l̪̯̞̻͚̜e͢a̧̱̱̠͕̺̖͇se̹͓̠̙̳͡!̶̩̤ͅ ̪̮̬̟S̖̦͕̺o̵͔̼͔m̝͇͈e̤̩̼̞̟ọ͉̹ṋe͎̩̝̺̲̣͍ ̺͕͇h̙̜̺̝̘͠ͅͅe͇̦͍̥̱̻̲ḻ͡p̴̣̠!̶̤̳̹̯ ̖̻̘͡H͔̜e̬̗̣͙̯͙͠l̶͍͈̲l̨͉̠͓̗̼̳͇o͝?̷ ̴B̡a҉̯̻̘̱̭̘̻b̵̘̥͚͓y̗͍̗͈̪̦̫?̠̺̯ͅ ̥̰̥̣̫̹W͖̠̪h̲̳̱̲̣͈͔e͈̻̲̫r̭̟̝ḙ̱̼̺ ̧̝̦a̳̪͖͓̳̯͉m̰͍̫̪ ̢͔͎̥͖I̡̼̱͉̤?͇̱̙͈̰ͅͅ ҉H̵e̥̪̺̺͕l̦͕̩̭̥͎͘p͖̬̹̖̪!͏̺͍ ̧M̸̮̗̰͔e̜̞͡r̹̣̻c͙̗̜͓̹̯͙͝y͈͎̪̲̫̱ ̲̟͙̰͕p̴ͅl̨̻̤̟̟͈͔e̦̘͙ͅa̙̼͘s͔̦͔̯̳̮e̺̰͔̣͍͢!̗̘̮͇̫̺ ̧̳͚̻͖̟̰S͕̦̗̱͙̮̰t̕o̹̼̜̭̤p͍̜͞!͚͉ ̷̬̣S҉̟͈̯o͖̺̟̼͔̖͝m̧e͙̖̣o̧̩ne ͍an̹̫yo̷̯̼̯͚̗n̩̺͙͢e̞̰̳̲̗!̜͜ͅ ̩̗̣̙̮̠͈H̨e͞’s͈̟ ̙̫͚̯̭h̝̻͔̮̤̣̘ẹr̟͈̹͜ͅe̴̖̣̜ͅ! ̝̦͎͎̯W̮̳͙͔͚̰ͅa̝͖t͞c̭̳͇͚͢h̲ ͏o̺̖̠u̞̼̦̬t͏͎̺̺!͏̖̱̭͔̤ ҉͖͙͕͚̫ͅH̸̰̱̼͓e̴̪̜͔̦͖͓lp̙̖̦̠͕̻ ̟̬̦͡m̧̥e͉̞!̬̣ S͓̤͉̜̫̥i̞̙͔̤s̫̥͇͉t̛̳̖͙̝̱ͅe͏͎̣͇̲r͙̦̺̹?͏̜͎̬ ̩̭̜̠̦̹̕L͈͘o͔͇͕̼̘̻̳͜o̩̺͓̦̝̪̯̕k͉̱̫̙̥̤ ̲̱̼o͖͎̠͡u͕t͕͎͍!̶͙̘̪̙̯̰ ̼̝̪̬W̗͇h̜̦͕̬̺y̺͙̹͘ ą̬̩͓͈̼̰ṛ̗̼͈̳e̮̼̩̯̘ ̥͟y҉̬̖̣̤̹̳o̩̟̟̙u̱̰͍̬ ͔̜d͍͍͇̪͚̹̬o͇i͔͇̲n̯̩g ̥͚͎̘͕͍th̳͙̼i̫͜s͎̰̦̺? ̝͖ͅḨ͍̘̤e̝͠l̸p͙͈!̹͕̼̠̮͢ S̸t͖o͓̱̙̰p̹̠̯̖ͅ ͖t̳̳̣̹̫̗h̙ę̺m̖!̳̙̬ ͙͓̙̼̱Th͓̳̖̰̰e̛̘y͏̠̪̙̥̻̭’̨̖re̯̝̠̯̪̱̠ ̯̯͇̙̯̙̲h̰͍e̺r̗̩͢ȩ͖̘̺͉̬̲̫!͚̫̺̺̕ ̫͓͚̯̫̲I ͉̺̙̬̻c҉a̵͖ṉ’̬̻̮͟t͖̭̞̰̞͟ͅ ̡̟m̴͉̟͔̬͉ͅǫ̞͓͍͎̭v̸̞͚͍͓e̪!̹̳̻̮ͅ ̨͎̫̺͙H̻͓e͏̬̹l̷̮p̟͝!̯̫̦͈̥

Reaper held his skull as a flood of voices, all lost souls, began crying out. Some calling to Reaper, most crying out their last words before their untimely death.

“Sans?” Toriel called out worriedly to her friend’s noticeable pain.

Reaper continued to hold his skull, his hands pressing tighter as more and more voices of souls flooded his mind, even though they were dampened by Toriel’s barrier.

It was loud! Too loud! So many souls!

_H̪̼̬͓̱e̼͎͡l̥̖͙̯ͅp͡ ͍͙̖̹̯͕̗m̯͈̠̰̬͞e̷͙̬͈̜̩!̬͚̜͙̼͖̗͞ ̘̭̰̗S҉͍̞̺̰̼ͅͅo͕̭͈m̢̖̰̘͚̦̲̹e̮̺̺̱͍̣o̺̟n̬̥̹̫̞̪͍͘e͏̲͉̼ h̖̞̺e̗̤̝͖͉ͅl͖̝̳̜̞͟p̝̰͈̲̹̯͞ ̴̝me̙̮̳͚͙͉!͎͓͚̳̤̟ ̴͓̬͖̲̜H̝̩̥͇̭̱ͅe͇̝̹l͈̠̬̮͙p͙̹̮̮̗!̱̟̣͙̱̤͠ W͖̥͍h̹̟͟e̙̯͞r̡̙͙͖e͙ ̹̙a̴̖̻͈re̫͈͔͡ ͇̺̖̞̮t̺̟̺h̤͈ę̖̣̗̼̳̪͈y͏̞̗̖͓͈͇ͅ!͎̟͈̟͔̦̼ ̡̖̟͙̣ͅL̮̜͕͡oo̼̰̹͢k̮͔̗͍̻̼̱̕ ̨̝̭̯͙̟̫̳ọ̸̰͙ṳ̢̻̭̝̜̬ͅt͇̘̮̼̻̭!͇̩̭͔ ͖̤͔̜͚͟ͅT̝h̖̦͎̬͇͢ͅẹ̺͇̺̱̱ͅy̰̻̺̼͙͚͠'r͔̮̜̝̥͕ͅe̠͖̘͇ ͚̘g͙̤̺͔̹e̘̤͘t̞͞t̴̫̩in̜̦g̯̕ ̛͓̰̲͈̫̩̫cl̙̰̙̪͟o̦̹̝̩̮̲se͇̺͖͎r̡͇͖̭̹̰ͅ!̰̼͎̜͙̲ ̱̺͕̫̟̕S̱͙̞̱͓͈͈t̞͓̞͢o̥͎̱͕͔p͈̬!̳͇̜̹̦̞ ̱̗͓̞̫̬̦I͇̘͙̕t̨̯̳̺ ͉̬̥̕h̝̩u̕ͅr̫̳͕̦͙̮ț̵̬̳͖s̨!̷ ̴̠̠͔H̜͔̪e̲͎̠̤ͅḷ͓͍̫͕̥̰͘p̲̣!̪̤̱̖̲_

So loud!

Too many! If only he could-

ę̗̭͇l̥̜͙p̴̘͕̤͚ͅ ҉̭̣̹ͅm͏̞̹̼̥̪e̗͓̖͕͎͞!̰̫ ̵̳ͅW̦̪͘h҉͚̺er̜̬̱͎̻e̮̮͓̗̤ ̺̦̦͓̣̯a͇̼̙̳͕̦r̗͖e ̫̮̹y͏̪̣̞̙͓͚o̘̮u!̶̪̤̗̦̯ ̤̹͕̠̝͟H̝̣̼e͏͙̭̲̣͔̲͖l̯̟̟̙p̝͕!̯͚̣̦͇̺̦͞ ̣͕̩S͉̟t̞͖ͅo͇̞p͍̝ it̘̯͙̪ p͉͍̭̹͖l̪̯̞̻͚̜e͢a̧̱̱̠͕̺̖͇se̹͓̠̙̳͡!̶̩̤ͅ ̪̮̬̟S̖̦͕̺o̵͔̼͔m̝͇͈e̤̩̼̞̟ọ͉̹ṋe͎̩̝̺̲̣͍ ̺͕͇h̙̜̺̝̘͠ͅͅe͇̦͍̥̱̻̲ḻ͡p̴̣̠!̶̤̳̹̯ ̖̻̘͡H͔̜e̬̗̣͙̯͙͠l̶͍͈̲l̨͉̠͓̗̼̳͇o͝?̷ ̴B̡a҉̯̻̘̱̭̘̻b̵̘̥͚͓y̗͍̗͈̪̦̫?̠̺̯ͅ ̥̰̥̣̫̹W͖̠̪h̲̳̱̲̣͈͔e͈̻̲̫r̭̟̝ḙ̱̼̺ ̧̝̦a̳̪͖͓̳̯͉m̰͍̫̪ ̢͔͎̥͖I̡̼̱͉̤?͇̱̙͈̰ͅͅ ҉H̵e̥̪̺̺͕l̦͕̩̭̥͎͘p͖̬̹̖̪!͏̺͍ ̧M̸̮̗̰͔e̜̞͡r̹̣̻c͙̗̜͓̹̯͙͝y͈͎̪̲̫̱ ̲̟͙̰͕p̴ͅl̨̻̤̟̟͈͔e̦̘͙ͅa̙̼͘s͔̦͔̯̳̮e̺̰͔̣͍͢!̗̘̮͇̫̺ ̧̳͚̻͖̟̰S͕̦̗̱͙̮̰t̕o̹̼̜̭̤p͍̜͞!͚͉ ̷̬̣S҉̟͈̯o͖̺̟̼͔̖͝m̧e͙̖̣o̧̩ne ͍an̹̫yo̷̯̼̯͚̗n̩̺͙͢e̞̰̳̲̗!̜͜ͅ ̩̗̣̙̮̠͈H̨e͞’s͈̟ ̙̫͚̯̭h̝̻͔̮̤̣̘ẹr̟͈̹͜ͅe̴̖̣̜ͅ! ̝̦͎͎̯W̮̳͙͔͚̰ͅa̝͖t͞c̭̳͇͚͢h̲ ͏o̺̖̠u̞̼̦̬t͏͎̺̺!͏̖̱̭͔̤ ҉͖͙͕͚̫ͅH̸̰̱̼͓e̴̪̜͔̦͖͓lp̙̖̦̠͕̻ ̟̬̦͡m̧̥e͉̞!̬̣ S͓̤͉̜̫̥i̞̙͔̤s̫̥͇͉t̛̳̖͙̝̱ͅe͏͎̣͇̲r͙̦̺̹?͏̜͎̬ ̩̭̜̠̦̹̕L͈͘o͔͇͕̼̘̻̳͜o̩̺͓̦̝̪̯̕k͉̱̫̙̥̤ ̲̱̼o͖͎̠͡u͕t͕͎͍!̶͙̘̪̙̯̰ ̼̝̪̬W̗͇h̜̦͕̬̺y̺͙̹͘ ą̬̩͓͈̼̰ṛ̗̼͈̳e̮̼̩̯̘ ̥͟y҉̬̖̣̤̹̳o̩̟̟̙u̱̰͍̬ ͔̜d͍͍͇̪͚̹̬o͇i͔͇̲n̯̩g ̥͚͎̘͕͍th̳͙̼i̫͜s͎̰̦̺? ̝͖ͅḨ͍̘̤e̝͠l̸p͙͈!̹͕̼̠̮͢ S̸t͖o͓̱̙̰p̹̠̯̖ͅ ͖t̳̳̣̹̫̗h̙ę̺m̖!̳̙̬ ͙͓̙̼̱Th͓̳̖̰̰e̛̘y͏̠̪̙̥̻̭’̨̖re̯̝̠̯̪̱̠ ̯̯͇̙̯̙̲h̰͍e̺r̗̩͢ȩ͖̘̺͉̬̲̫!͚̫̺̺̕ ̫͓͚̯̫̲I ͉̺̙̬̻c҉a̵͖ṉ’̬̻̮͟t͖̭̞̰̞͟ͅ ̡̟m̴͉̟͔̬͉ͅǫ̞͓͍͎̭v̸̞͚͍͓e̪!̹̳̻̮ͅ ̨͎̫̺͙H̻͓e͏̬̹l̷̮p̟͝!̯̫̦͈̥

****

****

****

****

**_Find me_ **

Reaper flinched, his sockets snapping wide open.

That soul… it sounded like…

“Sans?” Toriel called again, her voice pitched with worry.

Reaper finally blinked, noticing Toriel calling his name. “Oh, sorry Tor. Seems like work is calling me. Something big must have happened. A lot of souls need reaping…” He finished with a somber look and tired sigh.

“Oh!” Toriel finally relaxed, but still kept a worried eye on her friend. “Were there any mass casualties scheduled for today? I thought you said you were taking the day off.”

Reaper felt a humorless chuckle leave his throat along with a grim smile. “No, nothing was supposed to happen today, I checked ahead of time. So that can only mean _outside_ forces helped this genocide along.”

Toriel’s brows furrowed with a serious look. “You don’t mean…?”

Reaper nodded, knowing where the goddess’ thoughts were headed as he stood up, lifting his hood back over his skull. “Yup, no doubt the _Destroyer_ is behind this.” Reaper’s voice finished with a soft, low growl as he summoned his scythe. He had the unfortunate luck of running into the world destroyer’s aftermath several times. Unfortunately the bastard was crafty and cunning. He would destroy worlds with his strings like a complicated puzzle, making sure it all fell down in one fell swoop. Then he would vanish out of Reaper’s reach to some secluded part of the multiverse. Reaper wasn’t in tune to the multiverse like the Guardian was, he was only in tune to souls. So he never knew when something was going down until it was too late. The Destroyer seemed to always plan his attacks with that advantage in mind. And unlike Nightmare who kept souls alive to feed off their negativity, the world destroyer had no need for live souls. Over the hundreds of years he had amassed quite the body count.

To say Reaper despised the world destroyer was an understatement. He always caused Reaper and his brother so much extra work.

And now Reaper had to work on his day off because of that asshole.

Reaper could feel the shadows around him morph with his boiling anger. Just _one_ day. Was that too much to ask for? One day where he could quietly mourn the loss of Geno on the anniversary of his death. Just one fucking day where the destroyer didn’t ruin countless innocent lives.

Reaper let the pull of the lost souls screaming at him guide him towards his destination. It was an unfortunate Underlust AU copy. Odd, must not be the main Underlust AU. Reaper was certain Lust had a deal with the Bad Sanses; they use his world for free liquor and in return it doesn’t get destroyed. With a heavy sigh Reaper sliced open a portal to the wounded world with his scythe. “Don’t wait up for me Tor. This is going to be a long job.” Reaper called out with an angry, tried voice before stepping through, leaving his friend in her garden to watch his form disappear with the portal.

As soon as Reaper stepped through the portal and came out the other end, he was hit with a cloud of dust and haze.

Reaper’s wide sockets narrowed at the scene before him. Monster dust lay everywhere. The once fluffy white snow of Snowdin was now covered in a layer of grey dust. Rubble and debris cluttered the streets. Most of the residents of the AU seemed to have been caught under falling buildings and stray blaster attacks if the singed markings next to their remains were anything to go by. There were a few unfortunate victims that looked to have been impaled by bone attacks based off the way their dust lay under remaining familiar red bones. A single touch would cause the attack to glitch and distort, much like their owner, inflicting something similar to poison over time damage that would cause someone’s HP to tick down for a period of time, based off of how long the unfortunate victim touched the bone. If someone were to be stabbed by a bone attack with a non-lethal shot, it would be an eventual, slow, painful death.

Reaper sighed as he began to gently glide his scythe across the floating souls only he could see. The souls of the afterlife. So many still cried out in fear and pain. Their death was too sudden for them to realize they had already died.

As Reaper went through the victims, letting the soul’s calls guide him, his thoughts began to wonder. This whole area seemed… messy. Normally the world destroyer was more meticulous in their attacks. Not to mention the AU itself was mostly intact, aside for Snowdin that is. A lot of the surrounding land glitched and pixilated. Reaper could see clear tears in the fabric of the AU, a common sight to see from the Destroyer’s work. But overall, the AU was fine.

At least what was considered fine when the world destroyer was involved.

Reaper hummed in consideration as he began to come across splotches of ink. The cries of souls guiding him further and further out of town.

So the Guardian must have been here too. Maybe there was a battle? That would explain why the place looked so messy and the AU hadn’t been completely destroyed.

It was always a little unnerving having to reap free floating souls trapped in the void of where their AU used to be. So he was glad the Guardian was able to save this AU.

As Reaper continued to perform his job, the screaming of the souls began to quiet down. There was still quite a few calling out to him. Probably lost souls trapped under rubble, or knocked over trees that he would have to dig for in order to find.

I̗̤̰t̢ ̷̮h̠̠͖͢u̡̼r̶̬̰t̵͇͖͈ ̭̮̟͟s̻̝̝o̘ ̟̤͈m̡͔͎u̳̮̬͈̕c̡̹͙ẖ͕̝̰.͈͈̩̙͞ ͍͉̲͎͚͠W̭̥̫̻̗͈h̶̹͚̗y̲̱̙͞ ͖̞̥̞ḏ̥̙̫̟̰̰i̥̠̭d̖̠̘ ͙͇̺̪̹t̥̲̗͕̼̳͞ͅhi͔̞̟s͙͟ ̘̞͠h̫͙̯̪͔̱ͅa̘͉̹̹͔̭̮p̨͔p̻͔̯e҉̣͍̝͇n͈̟̠ͅͅ ̯̠̗͡t̪o̱̝͢ ̨̠̮̪u̕s̩͕͔?̴̺ ̷̟W̖͕͈͜ḩ̪̘̠͇̭a̛͚̬̖̤̩̮̫t͇̮ͅ ̖̪̲d̬͓̝̪i͍̙͎͇̼͎̜d ̴̗͔̯̜̼̖̥w̞̮͓̳̗e̥̠̟͇͓͙̙͢ ͍͚̝̟͢d̶͖͖̪̜o̴ ̖̱̻̺̩͉͠w̵r̢o̰n̡̦͓͍g͏͚̹̟̺͓̰?̺̬̪ͅ ̩̫ͅI͙͘ ̳̫c͞a̲͉n͏͇'̭̯̩̠͓t ̢̦͉b͎̤̥̮͈̺̬e̺̲̤̙̤͕͝ļ͈͙̮i̵e̼̹̪̱̗̹͉ve̳̞͕̟ ͙͘I̛ ̸̩̻̺͓̗̟d̤̼̙͙̞̥i͓̳͕͟e͝d̺̥̻̗̻̹̱.̰̫̹̲͇ ̯T͇ḥ͇͎͘iş ̢ͅs̺͔͓͝ͅuc̘k͏̳͙͍̞̙͓s͠ .͎̮͈͙ ̻͍̝̩̝T̞͉̤h̠͎̭̖͠e̦͖r͓̞̪̞̙̠e̞̗̺̹̻̯͔'͙̮̰̲̪͈s ̫̱̰̩s̞͓̭̘ͅo̰̗͖ m̵̜̙͈̩͇u͇̱̟̦c̦h͓̠͔̼̬̩͙ ͓̪͕ͅo̙̖f̯̖̖̣̞ ͇͙l͎̘͓i̡̹̪f͙̺̺͈̝̞̭͘e̖͍ ͈̰͚̬I̺̰̯͡ ̬̰̘̣̱̯͜ͅd̻͉̻͍̣͈͉͡i͔dn'̤̬̹t͍͔̟̱̙ ͚̳͕g̤̻͙͍ͅe̤̩̖͖̕t ̬͚͎̤̙͢t̫͙̗̭̮̺o͓̤̗̩ͅ ̼͝ḙ͇̤̲x͎̝͉̞̺̟p̨̹̫ͅe̻͖̗̙͘ŗ̱̭̗̠̤i̡͙ͅe̬̦͙͙͓͔n̜͉̣̗̣̳c̻͡e̛͚̤.̢̘̜͇̜̰͈ ̬̯̙̝L̜̳̝͔̭͕͎a͏̝̠̫̣̲͇m̝͈e̳̞̳͍͖̬!̗̮̺͙̬ ͖W̟̲͕̺̬̦̺h̘̖͢a̧̖ṭ̥͙͉̺̟̬͞ ҉̘̗̳͍͔̗ͅa ̖̗̻͉̩̯bu̠̯̪̗̼͝m̬͡m̘̼͓͖͖̮̪͝e̡̬͚̲̬̫͎͚r̠̤!̡̫̬̟ ̛T̩͎̥̬͈h͇̺͉̩a̵̳͚͖͍t̪͠ ͇͙̬͞s͓̳k̰͡e͚l̵͖̠̫̘̪̱e͈̟t̮͇̦͓̪̬o̢̜̳̖̦n ̴͉̥w̩͔͎a̗̣̥̰s̩̻͇̱ͅ p͖͇̘̗̩͙̖͠r͉̞̲̳ę̙̞ͅt̤͕͚̩ͅt͝y̵̖̞͔ͅ ̨̘̻s̩̖̜̠̘͙͚e̛̯̜̮̖̘x͝y͙ ̳̱̝̻̻̜͝t̢͙̪̘ͅh̦̠̦̥o͓͔͎u̺̣g̜̜͉͇͇̣̺͜h͔̬,̶͎̱̦̩̬͇ͅ ͚̦͔̬h͠ͅu̘͚̬͕̲h̢̫͉̫?̛͙̥͕͔͔ Y͙̘̹̖o̥̭̹͟u͢'̛r̶e̟͡ ͍̳̫̤͇̟s̻͔̪̘̜ͅu̵̺̪c͖h͙̳ ̻̦̣a̬̣̞̖̜̥̮ ̻p̹̲̤̳͝i̸̯͓g̴̰̠̮̘͈̱!̖̬ ͉Y̵͈̦o̖̪̻u̗̦̻ ̡͖͍̺͙͙̹̲go͇̤̟̙͉̬t̞ ̶͚͈̯̗͙͎̭u̝̦s̭̳͖͉̲ ̯̻̺ki̜͓̺̺͎͡ͅͅll̬̫͉e̱̬̤̩d!̛̟ ̟͖̠͍͔W̰͙h̟͍̘͈̺̜a҉̘t̖͕ͅ ͈̜̖̟͉͚a̦̰̳̩͕͝n ̶̫̗̲̱̭a҉̝̣̥̘͈ͅs͈̲̦̬s̝.̫̰̗͞ ̫͍͢

Reaper let a little chuckle work its way across his skull. At least the souls weren’t as upset as they were before.

W͎̳̯͞h͏̝̬̗a̢̞̗̰̙̻t̜̹͚̩͎͔͖͡ ̭͈͎̬̤̕n̹̳̺͚̫͙̜͞e̶̫̯̠xt̝ͅ?̫͉̥̘ͅ ͏͙T̹̼̖̩͡h̸͖̫̱i҉s̷͕̭̮̗ ̶͉͚ͅi̶̞̯͕̱s̙ ̲͈͍̕b̷̬̰̫̲̪͙ơ͚̤͓͇r̭̝͚̺͠in͎̺͔͙͍g!̢͙̯ W̱̗̱͎͎i͙̣͚̪̦͙͟s͎̘̠̲h͓͘ ̼̤͚̘͚͜I̶̦͕͙̰͓͙̯ ̸̟̯͇̦͖̪ḥ͔̳a͚͕͚͉d̼͈ g͏o̝͠t̞̖̦̥̠̫t̴̻̣̮̗̰ḙ̱͓̥n͎̱̺ ̳̖̜̠̬͍̣i̡̖̮̦̜̤̠͓n̘̲̼ͅ o̬̰̳͉͓̣ͅn̶̙͎͔̭ͅe̡̞̭̩̙̮ ̹l͈̳̮̤̱̭ą̜͈s̗t̫̼̙͕̼͚ ̨q͕̮̟u̢̫̜i͖c̸͓̗̗͚̱͕ͅk̲y̩͉͈͉̼͜ ̣̺b̟̯̜̫͕̪͠e̞͚̱̪̣͇f̫̣̯o̠̠̦̙̰̹r̨̘͓̭e̙͉ ̵̦̘̤͓͉̣̯d҉̰͉̮̗̙̲͉yi̠̤̱͚͉n͏̹̭͕͔̗̗̳g̢.̡

_Find me…_

Reaper flinched. That soul…

Coming to a stop, Reaper stood still as he recalled the resonance of that particular soul. Something about it… it was familiar.

Reaper stood completely still, closing his sockets as he let himself feel the call of that particular soul. It’s resonance, the frequency, the almost gentle, comforting pull…

Suddenly, Reaper’s sockets snapped open. He…he recognized that soul! It... it couldn’t be, could it..?

Slowly, Reaper began to move towards the pull of that particular soul. He tuned out all the others who were crying out to be reaped. They could wait. But this soul…

He could have sworn he heard it before-

_Find me._

Reaper’s sockets went impossibly wide as he began to sprint towards the pull of the soul. It couldn’t be! There was no way! It had been too long. Reaper had stopped looking. But he knew that soul! He knew it better than any other!

**_Find me_ **

****

That was _Geno’s_ soul!

Reaper panted as he began to run as fast as his legs could carry. The icy wind whipped past him, pulling his hood down. His robe flayed in the wind as he sprinted, tears stinging his sockets with the chilly winter air. When the pull of the soul’s call guided him to a perilous cliff, Reaper had to skid to a stop, just barely keeping from falling off the edge. Chest heaving, he looked over the edge of the massive cliff. He looked around frantically, but there was nothing there. Nothing that he could see. The cliff was too tall. Nothing but massive, needle sharp pine trees below. No one could possibly be down there right? But… the soul…

What if…

Reaper’s brows furrowed with determination and his wings suddenly tore through his cloak. His jet black wings expanded sending a few stray feathers to flutter around him and without a second wasted, Reaper jumped off the cliff. His powerful wings carried him down towards the rocky, thick forest below. It was difficult to navigate with all the sharp branches and needle like leaves of the pine trees. Reaper used his scythe to slice away some of the thicker branches, receiving a few cuts and scratches along the way. Eventually, he found a clearing between all the greenery and landed.

Reaper didn’t wait. He didn’t bother to retract his wings. He simply took off running in shin deep snow, following the call of the soul. No, Geno’s soul! He knew it was Geno’s soul. He’d recognize that gentle, melodic call anywhere. The same call that first guided Reaper to finding Geno in the Save Screen.

It had to be! Geno was alive! He knew it! Reaper could feel tears sting in his hollow sockets, a few rolling down his cheeks.

Geno his beloved, his mate, his everything! He was alive! He was alive and-

Reaper halted to a stop. His breath hitched. His body frozen.

Before him wasn’t Geno. It was Error. The world destroyer.

Reaper felt all hope leave him the moment his gaze landed on the wounded and still body of Error.

Was… was it Error’s soul that had been calling him? Reaper slowly let go of the breath he had been holding and glared down at the other laying helplessly in the snow. There was what looked to be red marrow everywhere. Reaper could see even through the clothes the other was wearing that there was significant damage and broken ribs. There was a crack on the skeletons skull above their right socket. The other skeleton wasn’t moving, their sockets were hollow, void of any light. Reaper noticed Error resembled that of a corpse more than a skeleton monster. The only reason he knew the other was still alive was the fact that the Destroyer’s body continued to glitch every now and then. That and he wasn’t dust… yet.

Huh, must have been one hell of a battle with the Guardian.

Reaper tsked and glared harder at the dark skeleton. He deserved more wounds in Reaper’s opinion. This asshole was the cause of so much extra work for him and his brother. Error killed so many innocent lives, leaving souls stranded without an AU. Error’s body count probably rivaled Reaper’s! And he was Death itself! It was this asshole that caused him to have to work on his day off.

He even got Reaper’s hopes up thinking it was Geno’s soul-

Reaper felt a growl work its way out his throat, his fangs bared as his teeth ground together in frustrated fury.

How long had Reaper wished to teach Error a lesson? How many overworked hours did this sociopath cause him? How many times did Reaper wish he could confront the Destroyer?

And now… Error was defenseless right in front of him.

Reaper’s grip tightened on his scythe, his bones creaking against the wood. It wasn’t Error’s time. He knew by Error’s hourglass, or lack thereof. He knew he shouldn’t even be thinking this. Abusing his powers for his own personal gain. What would Asgore do as punishment? What would Toriel think?

But then again… wouldn’t he be doing others a favor? Wouldn’t he be doing the whole multiverse a favor?

How many innocent lives were snuffed out before their time because of the Destroyer? Countless!

How many souls were ripped away from their loved ones, just like how Geno was…

It was only fair right?

He was doing something good for once. For once, his powers would bring happiness instead of despair.

After all, who would miss Error, the world destroyer…

This was his chance…

Reaper was moving before he even realized it, his hand outstretched, summoning the Destroyer’s soul. The glitching, blue heart appeared, hovering over Reaper’s palm.

One touch. That’s all it would take.

He would crush the soul that caused pain to others for over hundreds of years.

With one touch.

Slowly, his cold fingers curled in on the vulnerable soul, and with one last breath, Reaper closed his hand, gripping the organ tight within his deathly touch.

But nothing happened.

Reaper blinked in confusion as Error remained unharmed. Well, no more harmed than he already was.

This was impossible. The only other being in the multiverse that Reaper could touch without killing had been…

**_You found me!_ **

Geno…

Reaper stared down at the soul in his trembling hand with wide, wet sockets. He pulled the organ closer, and upon further inspection, he could see it… Inside the glitchy blue soul, was the familiar white and red soul fragment.

Geno’s soul.

“Geno…?” Reaper whispered with a trembling voice as more tears gathered in his sockets.

His sight blurred with tears, but Reaper blinked them away, letting the droplets run down his cheeks as he continued to stare at the unmistakable soul fragment inside the blue soul.

It was… 

“ERROR!”

Reaper flinched at the sound of the other voice, quickly blinking away any tears as he turned towards the source. Reaper was able to see just in time Ink, the guardian of the AU’s, run up to Error’s side before sliding to a stop on his knees.

“Error?! Error! Please speak to me, Glitchy!” Ink pulled the unresponsive skeleton into his arms and held him close. Ink’s eye lights were a cycle of a blue tear drop and a red X. He shook the other skeleton as blue colored tears streamed down his cheeks till it stained his tan scarf below.

Reaper took a step back, unsure of what he was seeing. Wasn’t it the Guardian’s job to stop Error? Why did he seem so upset over the other? Wasn’t this whole mess due to a battle between the two?

Ink noticed the movement and looked up at Reaper, suddenly realizing the other was there. He flinched and held Error closer to himself, curling almost protectively over the other. “Reaper? What are you-“ Ink’s eye lights shifted to a red crosshair and blue X as he honed in on the unmistakable glitching soul in the god of death’s hand. “That’s Error’s soul! Reaper please! Don’t hurt him!” Ink was panicking. He didn’t like the way Reaper’s hand was holding Error’s soul so tightly. Hell he didn’t like seeing Reaper near Error’s soul at all! Reaper was the god of death. He had _one_ job, so there was only one logical reason as to why Reaper would have Error’s soul in his hand. Ink’s sockets widened even further, and his colorful eyes shrank to pinpricks. Reaper was going to reap Error! He was going to take Error away! No no no no! He couldn’t! Error was his friend! The only other person in the multiverse who understood him! He was going to lose Error forever… “Please please PLEASE! Give it back!” Ink begged as he held out one of his shaking hands towards Reaper and Error’s captive soul.

Reaper was so taken back by Ink’s behavior that he had to take another step back. The movement seemed to frighten Ink even more. The other moved as if they were getting ready to tackle him. The only thing keeping Ink from lunging was the fact that he held Error’s unconscious body in his arms.

Reaper frowned and looked back down at the soul in his hand. He could see the fragment inside the glitched blue heart.

Geno… He was right there… but…

If Reaper didn’t give the soul back, Error really might die. He wasn’t completely convinced, but no matter what, a monster couldn’t live without their soul. He didn’t know what was going on, but Geno’s soul seemed to be intact. He didn’t want to harm it or jeopardize it. For whatever reason, it was safe-ish, inside Error’s soul… Reaper frowned as he stared at the soul for a long, long while. His fingers reluctant to move. But… still… 

With a heavy, shaky sigh, Reaper reluctantly, with slow, uneasy movements, let go of the soul…

Immediately, Reaper felt like he wanted to reach back out, but he resisted.

Without Reaper holding Error’s soul, the little glitching organ slowly floated back towards its owner. Ink gingerly reached out for it and helped guide it back towards Error’s ribcage where the little blue heart faded back to the safety of Error’s body, back where it belonged. Only then did Ink let out a shaky breath. "Thank goodness… Geeze Error don’t scare me like that.” Ink moved his hand towards Error’s chest, resting above where the soul would be, feelings its weak beat just to reassure him that Error was still alive.

Reaper blinked, utterly confused by Ink’s concern. He had known the guardian for quite some time and he was certain Ink and Error were sworn enemies. Ink was the guardian of the AU’s and Error destroyed AU’s. It didn’t make sense.

Then again, none of this made sense.

Because… Inside Error, the Destroyer’s soul was…

“Ink, about Error...” Reaper wasn’t sure what he should say. Should he even bring it up? No, it didn’t involve Ink. But Reaper really wanted answers. Badly. He needed to talk to Error. “Leave him with me.”

Ink bristled feeling his metaphorical hackles rising. What would Reaper, the god of death want with Error? Well, there was one obvious reason. And there was no way in hell Ink was going to let that happen. Ink felt a lick of heat that wanted to become anger burn in him, but the fresh dose of blue and white paint was drowning out the red he had earlier. Instead, he simply began to panic again. “It’s okay Reaper, really. I’ll clean up after Error once I’ve gotten him home. We’ll be out of your hair, no need to kill anyone! Okay bye!” Ink didn’t waste any time. The longer Reaper was around Error while he was unconscious and defenseless, the more worried he became. Ink quickly pulled out Broomy and swiped open a portal right under the two, dropping them into Error’s anti-void, a place Ink knew Reaper couldn’t get to.

Reaper blinked confused. Kill anyone? Did Ink not know Reaper’s powers didn’t work on Error- “Hey wait!” Reaper reached out just as the two vanished into the inky puddle below them.

Reaper slowly let his hand drop as he was left in the quiet battle-torn AU. Nothing left but piles of dust and blood splattered onto the snow where Error was.

Blood…

That wasn’t red marrow. That was _blood_.

Error bled. Just like Geno did.

He didn’t dust. And Error didn’t die when Reaper touched him.

The same as Geno.

Things were suddenly starting to fall in place, and Reaper had find out the truth.

The blood. The invulnerability to his death touch. The soul fragment.

Reaper’s sockets widened and his hand slowly came up to grip the crimson scarf hidden behind his cloak.

Error was Geno.


	2. Meeting Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Sorry for the long wait. I tried to finish this chapter before going out of town on the weekend but it just didn't happen. Now that I'm back and rested up, writing can resume as normal.

Pain. Error wasn’t sure what happened, but he felt the pain. His body remained unresponsive, but a small part of him was still conscious. Fuck he wished he wasn’t. Every bone ached, every joint stiff and inflamed. It wasn’t as all-encompassing as his reboots were, but it was pretty close. Due to his experience with crashes and reboots, Error’s pain tolerance was pretty high, but even this was a bit much.

Error knew better than to try and move. He could already tell something was broken. A lot of things were broken. The blood leaking from his body made the bed of snow he was on warm, so at least he had that going for him.

As Error tried to will that tiny conscious part of him to conk out so he could get some rest and start to recover, he felt it.

Something, no… _someone_ had his soul.

He wanted to panic. He wanted to lash out at whoever had the audacity to touch _his_ soul. He braced himself for pain, knowing no one would have the world destroyer’s soul in their hand and not take the opportunity to kill him. They’d be fools not to. Was it some vengeful resident of Snowdin? Was it Ink? If it was Ink, was he still high off red paint?

Error felt what little air he had left in his lungs leave him the second he felt cold, _boney_ fingers wrap around his soul.

Why… why did the touch feel so warm when the hand felt so cold?

Error should be panicking, but for some reason his soul stopped fluttering with anxiety. It felt calmer than it had ever felt in his life. At least what he could remember. Even his glitching seemed to die down to a minimum. Error knew he should be worried about a random person holding his soul, but he couldn’t find the energy to care. Instead, the warm, almost gentle hold helped lull Error into a deep clam. The conscious part that had kept him awake to focus on the pain now focused on the warmth that spread all over his soul. Especially where the cool fingers touched.

That small consciousness was fading. He was finally able to relax enough to fall asleep. Just as the corners of that tiny bit of consciousness faded to darkness, Error couldn’t help but think about the unknown person holding his soul, and finish with a strange thought that came from somewhere that he couldn’t place, _‘You found me’_. 

“Error? Error! Error please wake up!”

Error flinched and begrudgingly opened his sockets. It took some effort and a few blinks to finally pry his sockets open. But when he did, he was met with painfully bright, stark whiteness. Huh, guess he was in his anti-void. With a pained groan, Error slowly raised a hand to his throbbing skull. Fuck he had a headache! Did he go drinking with Nightmare? What the hell happened?

“Error! Thank goodness!”

Error cringed at the too loud, unmistakable voice of the guardian. Fuck Ink wasn’t helping his headache. Why was ink with him? Oh yeah, he had been in some Underlust AU because Ink wanted to show him something, and then… Error glowered up into the anti-void’s vast ceiling, hoping Ink could see how annoyed his face looked. “You’re such an asshole.” Error’s voice wheezed out as the memories from their trip came back to him.

Ink grinned like a maniac, a completely inappropriate response for being insulted, but he couldn’t help it. If Error was giving him sass, then that meant he was alright. “Guess you’re feeling better, Glitchy.” Ink leaned over so Error could see his face. He studied his friend’s eye lights being sure both were ignited and neither flickered. As Ink studied his face and skull, he hummed in consideration. Ink did a pretty good job healing all of Error’s wounds if he didn’t say so himself. “Looks like I painted all your bones correctly. I didn’t miss any wounds, right?” Ink asked as he began to lift Error’s crimson sweater just to be sure.

A bright yellow blush bloomed across Error’s skull when he realized Ink was lifting up his shirt. “You fucking pervert! Stop that!” Error shot straight up, slapping Ink’s hand away and pulling his sweater back down. The movement caused Error to freeze with pain. Fuck he moved too fast! Ink may have healed his wounds, but the residual aches and pains were still there.

Ink let out an amused laugh at Error’s flustered antics. “Aw c’mon, Glitchy. I was just checking to make sure all your wounds were healed properly. You don’t have to be so embarrassed.” Ink’s tone was teasing as he grinned up at Error’s adorably blushy glare.

“Shut up!” Error shot back immediately. More in response to Ink’s laughter than anything. Stupid perverted squid brain. Just because he healed his wounds doesn’t mean he’s- Error froze as a thought suddenly occurred to him. “Ink you didn’t take off my clothes to heal me, did you?” He asked in a panic, his already bright yellow blush threatening to go supernova on his skull.

Ink blinked a few times regarding Error’s embarrassed outburst before grinning brightly. Boy was Error expressive when he was angry or embarrassed. He needed to make a note to tease Error about nudity more often. “Don’t worry, I didn’t take any clothes off. I just pained you blind. I did have to feel around though for some of the lower injuries down your spine.” Ink informed the other. He knew how much Error cared about privacy, so he made sure not to peek. Although, he was almost certain Error would have an issue with him feeling around to paint away the wounds. Error and touch was a strict no-no.

It took a moment for Ink’s words to sink in for Error. But the moment they did, Error’s sockets filled with flickering error signs. “YOU WHAT?!” He screeched, his voice digitizing horribly.

Yup, there it is. Ink sighed and rubbed the back of his skull as he gave Error a poor imitation of remorse. Really this was all too entertaining, and Ink was just happy to see Error back to himself to really care. The thought caused Ink to lower his hand in thought. Error had been so… upset earlier. Ink didn’t handle the situation well at all. A solemn look took over Ink’s teasing grin and the artist stared down at his bandolier, eyeing his paints while deep in thought. He really wished he could have handled that situation better. Maybe then he wouldn’t have almost lost Error…

The thought caused an uncomfortable feeling to his magic, making it roil in protest, confusing and alarming the soulless being even more.

Error finally stopped seething and muttering to himself about Ink being a disgusting pervert when he noticed the distant look on the other skeleton. Error let out a deep sigh as he tried to rain in his anger. He was pissed at Ink, and he wasn’t ready to let the other off the hook just yet, but Error couldn’t stand that look on him. Ink was supposed to be loud and annoying. Not quiet and depressed. “Don’t think too hard, you’ll hurt yourself. Your brain isn’t used to working that much.” Error snapped in an attempt to pull Ink out of whatever deep thoughts were causing him to make that face.

Ink blinked, snapping out of the spiraling his mind was getting ready to do. “Oh, sorry.” Ink felt an embarrassed flush work its way onto his skull, lighting up his bones in a muted rainbow hue. He didn’t take offense to Error’s comment. Ink had known the other skeleton long enough to know that was Error’s way of showing concern. Error noticed he was deep in thought and tried to snap him out of it. Neither he nor Error were good with words, so a lot times their attempts at communication just kind of dissolved into jabs and insults.

But that was okay. Ink knew that’s just how their friendship was.

And he… had been a terrible friend…

“Error,” Ink started, his voice softer than normal. “I wanted to apologize.”

Error’s sockets widened by a fraction. Ink apologize? He couldn’t be serious right? Ink almost never took things seriously. A thought quickly crossed Error’s mind, making him glare dangerously at Ink. “Ink, if you’re about to say something sarcastic, or turn this into a joke, I swear on the multiverse I’ll-“

“No! I’m not!” Ink was quick to cut the other off, not wanting Error to continue that thought for even a moment longer. Geez, he was an ass wasn’t he? Error’s first reaction was to think Ink would joke about an apology. Well… it wouldn’t be the first time. A burning of regret, closer to sadness made Ink frown. He really needed to work on his appropriate emotional reactions to social situations. “No, Error I’m serious. You were right to be upset with me back in the AU.” Ink began, his voice soft. “I was a terrible friend… You were hurting, and instead of helping you, I just got mad at you and blamed you for ruining the day.” Ink paused as he remembered the way Error had cried, his hurt and frustration clear as day on the normally reserved skeleton. Ink didn’t like that. His hand grabbed onto his blue vial as he thought back to Error’s expression. How all of that lead to almost losing Error for good… “I’m sorry…” Ink whispered, his voice rough.

Error was quiet as Ink gave what sounded like an honest apology for once. It was the first time he had ever seen the guardian so serious and so… sad. Error couldn’t help but look away and rub his arm awkwardly. Ink was being too sincere. He wasn’t used to it. He didn’t know how to handle it. “You seem really beat up about it.” Error added unhelpfully, not really sure what to say other than stating the obvious.

Ink gave a humorless chuckle as he rubbed the back of his own skull awkwardly. “Yeah I guess I am. It’s just… after seeing you fall off that cliff, then finding Death there holding your soul, getting ready to reap you, I couldn’t…” Couldn’t what? Ink wasn’t even sure himself. His mind sort of shut down. He remembered panicking thanks to the recent blue and white paint he had drunk over Error’s injury. Just the thought of losing Error forever made him freak out. Ink wasn’t even sure himself what he would have done if Reaper hadn’t let go of Error’s soul.

The thought, as vague as it was, caused Ink’s eyes to revert to two plain white eye lights.

Error jolted at Inks explanation. That weird, vague dream. Or at least what he thought was a dream. Or was it a hallucination caused by pain? Whatever it was, Error hadn’t thought it was _real_. But according to Ink, the strange person holding his soul was the god of death, Reaper?

Error lowered his gaze down to his lap where his hand laid. He flexed his fingers, mimicking the motion he felt on his soul. If Reaper _touched_ his soul, then why wasn’t he dead?

Ink noticed Error’s odd reaction and tilted his skull to the side curiously. “Error?”

Error blinked and looked back up to meet Ink’s curious gaze. His eye lights were back to their normal shapes and colors: one a green question mark, the other a blue swirl. Error clenched his hand into a fist, as if to crush away the phantom feelings and memory all together. “It’s nothing. Uh… I guess apology accepted.” Erorr responded nervously, not sure how he could stay mad when Ink was being uncharacteristically caring. That’s what he wanted, right? For Ink to care. But now that Ink was caring, Error wasn’t sure how to respond. It made him nervous. He didn’t like feeling so out of his element. “But don’t do it again! If you ever blame me for crap I didn’t do, this friendship is over and I’ll destroy you and every AU you care about!” He quickly added at the end. Threats, that was definitely Error’s element.

Ink grinned at Error’s quick outburst. Destroying all the AU’s he cared about was a threat Error made constantly, but Ink couldn’t find it in him to even pretend to be worried over it. No, he was over the moon right now! Error had officially called them friends! He needed so much yellow paint! In fact, Ink did just that. He pulled the yellow vial from his bandolier and popped the lid, downing a generous gulp of yellow paint and began to giggle happily.

Error raised a brow bone at Ink’s laughter, leaning back hesitantly. “Stop laughing you moron! I’m threatening you!”

“I know!” Ink wiped a happy tear from his socket. “But you called us friends! Now you can’t deny it or take it back, you consider us friends!” Ink proclaimed proudly with a giant happy grin.

Error felt an embarrassed flush quickly warm his skull. Shit he slipped up! “No I… I didn’t mean… YOU AGH! You stupid squid!” Error wrapped his scarf completely around his skull to hide his embarrassment while Ink continued to laugh at Error’s self-induced misery.

The anti-void filled with both laughter and embarrassed beeps and stutters.

Ink felt it was safe to say their once tentative, rocky friendship had just gotten a little closer. 

__________________________________________________

For the next few weeks, Reaper couldn’t concentrate. He did his job, went to work reaping souls, then came back home to have dinner with his brother, but he just for the life of him couldn’t focus. He was moving on autopilot. Everything he did, every conversation he had, felt as if he was watching his life through a move. A movie that was muted and that he couldn’t pay attention to.

His mind was screaming at him. He went over the events again and again in his head. It was just so hard to come to terms with. Was so hard to believe.

Error was Geno.

He was certain.

Sure Error could be some strange sub AU version of Geno. Reaper had run into them from time to time. His job was to reap souls, not just in his own AU. Thanks to his job, Reaper had gone to every corner of the multiverse, he had seen everything, every AU, every version of ‘Sans’. But Reaper was sure, there was no way an AU copy of Geno could replicate the call Geno’s soul had. It was unique. It was something only Geno, _his_ Geno could do.

Reaper felt his gaze drift onto nothing in particular as his mind swam with new information. How long had Geno been Error? Fuck, when did Error first come around? He couldn’t remember. Reaper was sure Error came onto the scene around the same time he was still frantically searching the multiverse for his missing mate, so to say Reaper was a bit preoccupied was an understatement. He wasn’t really paying attention to the multiverse as a whole at the time, too obsessed with searching every inch and corner for Geno. Reaper didn’t even notice the increased work load when AU’s began to get destroyed back then. He had been too focused in his search.

That’s why he never really got himself involved with either the Star Sanses or the Bad Sanses. At the time of their debut in the multiverse, Reaper had other priorities.

But now, he would need to get some information from them.

How long had the Star Sanses been fighting Error? Why did Error, who was Geno, destroy AU’s? Why was Error involved with the Bad Sanses? What caused the explosion in Geno’s Save Screen? And most importantly… did Geno remember him?

A heavy sigh left Reaper as he slumped over, his cheek resting on one of his fists. This was all so much to take in. Too much information to go over. Too many questions.

“Brother?”

Reaper jolted with a start at the sound of his brother’s voice. He looked up, suddenly remembering he was at the dinner table with Papyrus. “Uh, yeah bro?”

Papyrus frowned, eyeing his brother with a knowing stare. “You haven’t even touched your spaghetti. Is everything alright?”

“Oh!” Reaper quickly picked up his fork and began shoveling mouthfuls of pasta. “Sorry about that Paps. Got a little spacy.” Reaper winked and knocked on his skull so Papyrus could hear the echo. “I’m alright though.” He did his best to reassure his brother, knowing Papyrus wasn’t going to back down easily. Reaper loved his baby brother, but thanks to their job, Papyrus was a bit more mature and observant than most Papyruses in the multiverse. It was becoming harder and harder to lie to his brother the older he got.

Papyrus frowned at the response he had expected to hear. “Sans I know something is bothering you. You’ve been… how do I say this… out of it ever since your day off.”

Reaper gave a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders, still doing his best to put his brother at ease. Papyrus, just like all the others, forgot all about Geno. So how could he even begin to explain things to the other reaper? _‘Hey sorry bro, my mate that I lost a millennia ago turned up again, but surprise he’s the world destroyer now.’_ Wouldn’t go over well at all. “My day off wasn’t as relaxing as I’d hoped. Just tired is all.”

Papyrus eyed his brother quietly for a long while, waiting to see if the other would finally break down and admit the truth on his own. After seeing Reaper shovel another forkful of spaghetti into his mouth, the younger reaper let out a sigh and put his own fork down. “Sans, Lady Toriel told me you had to run off to work on a sudden ‘unscheduled mass casualty’. Meaning an incident with the world destroyer. Even I felt the pull of so many souls suddenly pop up.” Papyrus tiredly explained. Honestly, did his brother forget they had the same power? Of course he would notice such a loud call of collective souls.

Reaper choked on his food, not ready for Papyrus to so bluntly catch him in his lie. As Reaper pounded on his chest and cleared his throat, he wearily looked up at his brother’s unimpressed stare. He felt a heavy guilt on his shoulders causing him to slump and sigh deeply. “I’m sorry Paps, I don’t mean to lie. It’s just… complicated. I don’t even know what to think myself…”

Papyrus’ stare softened as he watched his brother shrink in on himself, making him look smaller than he was. “Is it something you cannot talk about?”

Reaper shook his head solemnly. “I honestly wouldn’t even know how to. When I say it’s complicated, Paps, I mean it.”

“Oh…” Papyrus looked down in thought for a moment before perking back up. “Is it about the mass casualty a few weeks ago?” He tried to piece together. “The one caused by the world destroyer.”

“Kind of…” Reaper chuckled weakly.

Papyrus was a bit taken back by his brother’s response. Papyrus had known the older reaper his whole life and Papyrus was sure the other wasn’t bothered by any form of death. Sans had seen it all. Murder, suicide, accidents, everything. Whereas Papyrus still felt for the lives the souls lost, Sans seemed to adopt an almost apathetic indifference to his job. Papyrus was a little surprised to see Sans so affected by one altercation with the world destroyer. “Did something happen? Did you finally confront the destroyer?”

Reaper bit his ‘lip’ as he stared hard at the mostly untouched plate of spaghetti in front of him. He knew he couldn’t really talk to Papyrus about it, but maybe… “Paps,” He started, almost hesitantly. “Have you ever known someone, a friend… a really good friend, who you thought you knew everything about. Was really close with… Only to lose contact with them. But then when you see them again, you come to find you don’t recognize them at all… what do you do?”

Papyrus hummed in thought, a hand on his chin as he pondered Sans’ riddle. “Hmm… well then I suppose I would simply rejoice!”

Reaper blinked in confusion. “What?”

“Rejoice Sans! If my very good friend were to suddenly return after losing contact with them I would be overjoyed to have my friend back!” He explained with a bright smile.

“But…” Reaper stumbled, unsure how to explain without really explaining. “They aren’t the same. They are completely different. Looks, personality, morals…” Reaper added at the end with a mournful look.

“Does it matter?” Papyrus asked, causing Sans to flinch and stare with curious sockets. The younger reaper simply smiled brightly. “They are still your dear and valued friend. No matter what, those bonds are not easily broken. We all change and grow, but true friendship is forever.”

“Even if they don’t remember you…?” Reaper asked the big question that had been going through his mind the past few weeks.

Papyrus’ smile softened to something fonder, yet sad. “Then, if they are worth it, you do your best to win their friendship back all over again!” Papyrus finished with a confident fist in the air. “You pester them with puzzles, good food, and anime marathons until they cannot resist your friendly charms and succumb to your friend making power!”

Reaper stared for a while before letting out a snort and falling into a fit of jovial laughter. “You know what, Paps, I think you’re right.” As Reaper recovered from his laugh, he wiped a stray tear from his socket and smiled up at his brother. “You always give the best advice bro.”

Papyrus preened at the compliment, puffing his chest out a bit. “But of course! The great Papyrus gives only the best advice! Nyehehe!”

Reaper let out a good hearted chuckle at his brother’s boisterous antics before going quiet yet again. Reaper had a lot of questions. There were so many uncertain factors. Important pieces were missing and Reaper couldn’t quite finish the puzzle, but he was determined to find out. Starting tomorrow, he was going to get his answers.

To be honest, he was a little nervous to get some of those answers, but one thing was for sure, if Error was Geno, he was at the very least going to finally meet the destroyer.

____________________________________________________

Finding the world destroyer was the hard part. This was an issue that Reaper had since the beginning, back when his intentions for meeting Error weren’t so civil. The issue was Reaper wasn’t in tune to the multiverse, just the souls of the dead. He couldn’t tell where Error would be until it was too late and he was already done destroying an AU.

Reaper had gotten lucky the last time. For some reason Error’s attack had been sloppy, not to mention he was left unconscious and on the verge of death. That last thought had Reaper stilling with an uncomfortable feeling roiling in his soul. It was odd. Before, Reaper had wished for the world destroyer’s demise. Even attempting to kill Error himself. Now, knowing that Error was Geno, the thought of Error passing away caused painful memories and emotions to boil back up that Reaper had done a good job of keeping down over the past several hundred years or so. He tried not to think about it. Suddenly grateful for Inks intervention. Ink had said he’d take Error home. That had to mean Error got a chance to heal, right?

So when would Error be back at destroying AUs?

Actually, where the hell was the destroyer’s home?

Where had Geno been hiding all this time? A place that Reaper didn’t know about? The god took a moment to ponder as he was casually reaping a soul from a car accident. An unfortunate human death in an AU where monsters and humans were above ground. Human deaths were always messy due to the blood.

Blood… Reaper’s mind suddenly turned to the scene he had come upon that day in Underlust. Error bled. Did he need longer times to heal because of it?

Reaper had been doing his best to focus on his work. He knew he couldn’t tell when an AU was being attacked, but he could tell when souls needed to be reaped. Normally Reaper wouldn’t notice until a large number of souls began to scream at him, but this time Reaper was determined to catch Error. In order to do that, he would need to get there before Error was finished with his work. And that meant he had to get there as soon as he started to feel unscheduled souls cry out for reaping.

Reaper was focusing hard. Normally he was lazy with his work. Putting off going to souls sometimes hours, even days after they died. But not this time. Reaper checked every single soul that called out to him. As soon as he felt a new tug of a soul, he checked their hour glass. If they were scheduled to die, he’d let them be, letting his brother Papyrus handle the one offs. Reaper made sure to get his job done as fast as possible so he was ready for any unscheduled souls.

Just one. If he felt a single one, he’d jump to the AU immediately.

Reaper was starting to feel a little anxious. Being on edge at all hours of the day was taking a toll on him. He wasn’t used to putting this much effort into his work.

But Geno was worth it.

He’d been at this for a few days now, but he’d keep it up. As long as it took.

Right as Reaper had finished with the human soul, he felt _it_. Another soul called out to him.

Then another. And another.

Reaper quickly pulled out the three soul’s hourglasses. A gasp left Reaper and a smile quickly spread across his creepy stare. None of them were scheduled to die yet.

It was Error!

Reaper quickly pulled out his scythe and tore open a portal to the new AU being targeted and shot through.

Once Reaper came through the other end, he looked around. He was in some strange AU where all the monsters flew. Birdtale, Reaper’s memory offered. The god floated around as he quickly scanned the area. The souls were nearby so that meant he couldn’t be too far off. Monsters were flying around and screams could be heard, so he knew he was in the right place. Just as Reaper began to near the pull of the three lost souls, the god gasped, quickly having to duck and hide behind the equivalent of Grillby’s bar.

Well shit. He forgot that unplanned murders in AU’s weren’t always just Error’s doing. The god glanced from the building he hid behind, watching as Nightmare and his crew went to work tearing through Birdtale, causing mayhem and chaos.

“Oh that was fun! Can we kill some more, boss?” Killer grinned with his creepy smile. The only one in the multiverse that could rival Reaper’s. His target shaped soul glowed with the same deep red color that stained his dust covered knife. Tracks of black leaked from his hollow sockets like tears, but his excited smile showed he was far from sad.

Nightmare, the leader of the notorious Bad Sanses group turned to regard his subordinate. “No, that’s enough for now. We instilled them with fear, and that’s what we want.”

Reaper’s sockets narrowed at Nightmare. He only had the liberty of meeting the prince of negativity once, and once was enough. Nightmare had come to him, asking about his powers. The questions were too specific, he was probing. Almost as if Nightmare was trying to assess him and his powers. Reaper hadn’t given him anything more than that was already widely known information. It was obvious Nightmare was looking for more. Beyond the fact that Reaper didn’t use his powers for personal use, Reaper couldn’t stand the thought of joining Nightmare and his gang. Partially because he wasn’t keen on spreading anymore negativity than he already did with his job, and partially because being around Nightmare and his aura was… difficult. All the grief, sadness, and anger of losing Geno that Reaper had worked so hard to lock away all came out the moment he was in Nightmare’s presence. It took almost all of Reaper’s willpower not to break down in tears right there in front of the goopy skeleton. But it’s not like his efforts really mattered. The way Nightmare smirked as if he could tell what Reaper was feeling, made it all the more frustrating.

Nightmare continued to watch and assess his subordinates work. “No more killing, we want them alive. But…” A wide sadistic grin grew as his single teal eye light glowed. “I didn’t say you had to stop hurting them.”

Killer’s smile widened like a child had just been told to go nuts in a candy store.

“Cut them, break them, burn them, do what you want as long as they are alive and screaming. Let’s make some music.” Nightmare finished with a deep chuckle.

Killer pumped his fist. “Hell yeah! Let’s go guys!”

Reaper watched quietly as Horror, Dust, and Killer harassed some citizens. They caused fires, blasted holes in buildings, and attacked with barely less than lethal attacks.

Just as Reaper was about to sneak off to another part of the AU he heard two teleports. His sockets widened as he spotted Error. Both he and Cross had teleported to Nightmare.

Nightmare turned to regard Error and Cross upon their arrival. “I’m guessing your part of the mission was a success?” Nightmare questioned, eyeing Error’s empty hands with a raised brow bone.

Error rolled his eye lights at the obvious way Nightmare was looking around him. “Yeah yeah, keep your pants on, Calamari.” A tiny pixilated tear in time and space opened up to Error’s anti-void where a few blue strings lowered a single red soul for Nightmare to see. “I got this world’s human. No resets for this timeline.”

“Good. Well done, Shibari.” Nightmare shot back calmly and casually. Nightmare knew Error wasn’t a fulltime member of the team, and he definitely wasn’t a subordinate. A coworker that sometimes tagged along for missions was a better way to put it. The prince of negativity had long since given up on trying to tame and lock down Error. He regarded the world destroyer with respect. Error was a powerful monster. It was best to keep him as an ally rather than have him as an enemy. And if that meant putting up with some of Error’s annoying attitudes, then so be it. This of course meant the two would get into some interesting arguments. But over the years it simply dissolved into a strange friendship of insults and a joint appreciation for the other’s work. 

“By the way,” Error glossed over the snarky remark. “Why the hell did you give me Fluffy over here for my mission? I can kill a measly Frisk by myself, I don’t need a stupid body guard.” Error stated deadpan as he pointed a finger at Cross.

Cross balked at the nickname and glared at Error. “Dude!” How many times did he have to say this; he didn’t pick the outfit! It was the Royal Guard’s official uniform from his AU! His hood wasn’t _that_ fluffy!

Cross’ annoyance was a nice little taste of negativity, amusing enough to make Nightmare almost smirk. Almost. “Cross is with you because you were injured recently. And don’t try to lie, Horror could smell the blood you tried to wash out of your clothes when you came to the castle to do your laundry.” Nightmare stated, laying the facts out letting Error know there was no weaseling out of the truth.

Error had his mouth open, ready to argue, but shut it when he realized Nightmare had him. Fuck was Horror part bloodhound? What the hell? That’s it, he was stealing his own washer and dryer. The anti-void was weird, he could figure out how to make appliances work in there. “I hate you all.” Error retorted bitterly, not having anything else to respond with.

Error’s annoyance along with Cross’ previous annoyance was enough to make Nightmare smirk. “I’ll remind you again Error, you have a room in the castle. Don’t be afraid to use it sometime.” The prince then turned and began heading towards his other subordinates before pausing and turning to regard Error one last time. “I had your bathroom filled with fresh healing items and first aid kits.” Nightmare then left, leaving Cross and Error alone. The two were dismissed since their jobs were done.

Error huffed, but a soft dusting of yellow betrayed his pissy expression. Stupid Nightmare worrying about him. Filling his bathroom with healing items. He didn’t ask for it.

Cross sighed and felt his shoulders relax a bit now that he was officially off duty. They would be heading back to the castle soon once Nightmare wrangled up the rest of their teammates and got his fill of negativity. Nightmare had devised a plan that led the Star Sanses on a false lead. They wouldn’t even notice this AU being morphed to a negative one until it was too late. The thought of not getting to see Dream was a little disappointing, but at least today had been a relatively easy day. And with Nightmare fully fed on fresh negativity, that meant he was going to be full of energy and recharged when they got back home. Which meant both promising and embarrassing things for Cross.

A deep purple blush was already working its way onto Cross’ skull just anticipating their return home.

“What’s up with you?” Error asked, noticing the way Cross’ skull was burning up.

Cross jumped and quickly pulled his scarf up higher in an attempt to hide his flush. “It’s nothing.” He lied, hoping Error wouldn’t prod or tease him.

Error considered messing with Cross, but decided against it. The kid had enough on his plate having to baby sit the rest of the team _and_ deal with Nightmare on a daily basis. Instead, Error opened his inventory and pulled out two chocolate bars. He wordlessly handed one to Cross.

Cross blinked at the offered chocolate before smiling and taking the sweet treat. “Thanks!” Error must be in a good mood if he was sharing his chocolate. Guess he was feeling better. Error had been oddly quiet at the start of their mission, almost as if he was lost in thought.

“Don’t mention it. You did good today.” Error offered his rare praise. Something he only did with a few people. Cross being one of them. The kid reminded him a lot of Blueberry. Despite working for Nightmare, Cross was surprisingly innocent. You had to explain a lot of things to him. He was big on loyalty and honor. He wasn’t a slob, or lazy. Being stranded in a dead AU made him both touch and attention starved. Error didn’t let Cross touch him, but he did give him attention when he was feeling up to it. Error knew what it was like being stranded in a void of nothingness, so he held a soft spot for the guardsman. Plus they both liked chocolate. So they ended up having more things in common than not.

“You too.” Cross complimented back as he took a bite of his chocolate. He was quiet for a while as he chewed, mulling over what he wanted to say before speaking up. “Nightmare knows you’re strong enough to do the job on your own. He only sent me with you because he was worried about you. We all were. Including me.” Cross looked up to stare at Error in order to convey how serious the situation was to them. Error wasn’t a fulltime member of the team, but Error was still a part of the team, which made him one of them. As odd as it seemed, the gang was surprisingly tightknit.

Error felt his blush work its way back on his skull and he quickly looked away to glare off onto the side. “You’re all stupid, I’m fine!”

Cross smiled taking Error’s embarrassed muttering as a sign that he really was okay.

Error glowered and did the best he could to hide behind his scarf. Stupid Nightmare giving him healing items. Stupid Cross saying embarrassing shit. All of them were just stupid!

“Cross, we’re leaving. Let’s go.” Nightmare called as he and the rest of the team came closer. A portal opened back to the castle and Dust and Horror were already going through.

Cross was quick to finish the rest of his chocolate. He turned to Error and waved. “Later, Error!” Error simply waved back as he watched Cross walk away to join Nightmare and Killer.

Nightmare smirked seeing Cross walk up and stopped him with a tentacle wrapped around his neck.

Cross stilled and sweat began to gather on his skull. He didn’t dare move or protest, he knew better. Shit did he do something wrong? He had followed all of Nightmare’s orders today, so why the aggression?

Slowly, Nightmare leaned in, close to Cross’ skull and spoke low, letting his breath tickle the guard’s bones. “You’re so messy Cross…” Before Cross could even question what nightmare was doing, Nightmare closed the little distance left and dragged his tongue across Cross’ cheek, dangerously close to the other’s teeth, just on the corner of his mouth. The movement was slow, letting the feeling of his wet tongue glide across Cross’ bone linger.

Cross’ breath hitched and he felt his face burn with a bright violet blush. He was left speechless as Nightmare pulled away, the constricting tentacle around his neck went with him. Still, Cross felt like he couldn’t breathe properly.

Nightmare’s smirk widened as his socket lidded. He pointed to his own cheek as he licked his teeth. “You had chocolate on your face.”

Cross’ skull was completely glowing. He could see Killer wagging his brow bones and licking his own teeth suggestively behind Nightmare, teasing the guard further. Cross wanted to glare at Killer, tell him to shut up even though he hasn’t technically said anything yet. He could already hear the other tease him in his head. If Nightmare was already doing things like this then… he was in for a long night.

The thought made Cross’ bones shiver with embarrassing anticipation as he and Killer both went through the portal. Cross practically ran, not wanting to see Killer’s face anymore, and Killer practically ran after him, ready to chase Cross down for the teasing of his life.

Nightmare let out an amused chuckle as he watched the rest of his subordinates leave. He made one last glance towards Error, a look that let the other know he was welcome to join them at the castle anytime, before turning and leaving himself.

Error finished his own chocolate bar by the end of that display. Boy, Cross was fucked. Heh, fucked. Get it. Error laughed at his own joke as he turned, ready to head home himself. He was grateful he didn’t run into Ink or the others. He wasn’t ready to face Ink at work after the shit show of an outing they had before. They still kept their friendship a secret. Well, at least Error kept it a secret. And after the way Ink had been worried about him, he was sure that kind of behavior wouldn’t have gone unnoticed by Nightmare. Questions would have definitely been aroused. Questions he didn’t feel like answering.

Besides, he had his own questions he was still dealing with.

For one, how come Reaper had his soul? And two, why didn’t he die to Reaper’s touch?

Error stopped walking, placing a hand over his sternum where his soul fluttered. He remembered the touch. Reaper’s hand was cold, and it should have been uncomfortable, but yet, the touch itself was warm…

Error’s palm rubbed at his sternum, as if to mimic the warmth he felt that day.

Why had he felt so calm when Reaper had his soul? His soul was literally in the hands of Death. It didn’t make sense. Any other form of contact by anyone else would have caused him to glitch out.

It just didn’t make any sense…

Error was too lost in thought to notice a dark figure float up to him. Maybe it was because the figure didn’t walk and thus had no footsteps, but still, even with the figure right in front of him, he didn’t notice.

“Geno…?” An oh-so soft, yet hopeful voice whispered.

Error looked up and flinched, almost falling backwards if he hadn’t taken a step back to steady himself. Right in front of him was none other than the one that had been plaguing his mind all month. The god of dead himself, Reaper.

Error stammered, unsure how to react after being caught so off guard. This wasn’t like him. Error was always aware of his surroundings. It was impossible for others to sneak up on him! And yet, here Reaper was.

“Geno?” Reaper asked again, his hand hesitantly outstretched.

Error glared in confusion, instantly stepping back from the god’s outstretched hand. He avoided the touch like the plague. Not because he was fearful that it would kill him. Just fearful that he would _touch_ him. No one touched him. At least, no one touched him without intent to harm or kill him. Error’s body reacted to the fear that had been implanted in him for so long as glitches sparked angrily in defense.

Reaper’s hesitant stare slowly melted into soul-crushing dejection. Was Geno afraid of him? “Geno… It’s me, Reaper.” He tried again, his hope wavering like his voice.

Error’s sockets squinted with even more confusion. Was… was Reaper calling _him_ Geno? Who the hell was Geno? “My name is Error.” He clarified, a bit snippy and defensively.

Reaper’s arm slowly lowered and his sockets widened with anguish. Did this mean Geno didn’t remember him? Did he not even remember himself?

Error froze with a start at the pure agony in Reaper’s expression. He’d never met the god of death before, but the rumors he had heard made it sound like Reaper was an indifferent monster that reaped souls without a care in the world. So why did he look so... _hurt_ staring at Error? “What do you want?” Error asked, feeling uncomfortable with how his soul ached at the sight of Reaper’s pain. It was strange and confusing. And Error’s first response was to get angry. “Here to finish what you left off last month?” With a step, Error faced Reaper head on. His fingers twitched at his sides, ready to pull out his strings if needed.

Could he even kill a god?

Reaper’s code was a core code to the multiverse. Even if he could kill Reaper, Error was positive he wouldn’t stay dead.

The thought alone was enough to set him on edge.

Reaper blinked a few times, doing his best to hold back the swell of emotions that was choking him in his throat. He had to swallow a few times to be sure he could even talk without his voice cracking with a sob. Geno thought he was trying to kill him. Fair enough, he did try to kill him last month. But that was before he knew he was Geno… But if Geno didn’t even remember himself, how could he possibly explain. “Geno, listen… I’m not here to hurt you, I just-“

“My name isn’t Geno!” Error cut the other off with a shout. “I’m Error, destroyer of worlds. If you think calling me by some different name and pretending like we know each other is going to make me put my guard down so you can finish me off, you have another thing coming. How stupid do you think I am?!” Error reached up and ripped at the strings at his eyes, pulling out two handfuls of threads.

Reaper flinched and stepped back, putting his hands up placatingly. “That’s not it at all!” Reaper frowned as he watched Geno- no… Error glare defensively at him. If Geno didn’t even remember being Geno, then he wasn’t Geno anymore… at least not now. If Reaper wanted to get close, he needed to stop thinking of Geno as he used to be, and see Geno for who he was now…

The Geno now was named Error. And he was one of the most powerful and dangerous Sanses in the multiverse.

Reaper took a deep shuddering breath, his emotions fighting to come out to grieve now that he knew Geno didn’t remember him, or himself for that matter. It felt like Geno’s death all over again. Any hope that Reaper had of instantly gaining his soulmate back was shattered again for a second time. He clenched his jaw and shut his sockets tight, fighting back the wave of despair that threatened to come out. “I just… wanted to see you… to see you were alright…” Reaper responded with a burning lump in his throat. Tears stinging the corners of his tightly shut sockets.

Geno was gone. He needed to accept that.

Geno…

Error’s sockets widened and his hands slowly lowered. Reaper, god of death, was worried about him? This didn’t make sense. Nightmare and the gang he could understand, sort of. They needed him for missions, so he knew they cared because he was useful. Why the hell would Reaper care? “I thought you came that day to reap my soul.” Error retorted defensively.

Reaper was quiet for a long while as he slowly lowered his hands. His sockets opened only so he could stare at the snowy ground below. The same snow that a month prior had been stained red with Error’s blood. “I did.” He answered honestly.

Stars that’s how they always met, wasn’t it? Reaper had met Geno when he came to reap the other’s soul. Little Geno had been perky and defensive back then too. Ready to fight Death himself. Reaper looked up at Error, seeing the way the other still stood defensively, strings at the ready. They were so alike. Both stubborn. Both determined. Both ready to fight Death himself. The thought made Reaper smile softly. Now that Reaper was looking, there were so many similarities.

“I originally came to reap your soul, but when I found out my deathly touch had no effect on you… I became curious.” Reaper omitted quite a bit, but still kept his response vaguely true. “And now I just wanted to see that you were okay. You looked like you were hurt quite a bit. Guess you could say, you looked like death.” Reaper let out a weak chuckle and a wink.

Error felt his teeth stretch up and a snort leave him before he could stop it. The destroyer quickly coughed and fixed his expression back to a glare. Okay, that joke was a little funny. He’d give Reaper that one. “So what, you stalked me to see if I kicked the bucket or not? Well got a little news for you, I don’t go down that easily.” Error finished with a crazed grin.

Reaper’s smile widened just a bit when he got a snort out of Error. Geno always loved his jokes. Even if he never admitted it. “Oh I know you don’t. You’re a stubborn one.” Reaper finished with a fond smile. “I know you, you’ll fight to the bitter end before giving up or admitting defeat.”

Error’s brow rose as he stared at Reaper curiously. He couldn’t tell if Reaper was praising him or not. The way the other was talking was as if he really did know him. Which would be impossible since they never met before. Error considered Reaper could be talking about the rumors he may have heard about the world destroyer. But something told Error that wasn’t exactly the case…

Reaper felt a weird melancholy as he smiled at Error’s confused expression. It was strange. Almost like meeting Geno all over again. The defensiveness. The distrust. The jokes and jabs. It was all painfully reminiscent of their first meeting. “Since you aren’t at death’s door, and you seem to be doing better, figure I’d properly introduce myself.” Reaper stepped forward carefully, being sure to be slow as he approached the nervous destroyer. Slowly, Reaper outstretched a hand. He forced himself to smile even though he felt like crying. “Hi, I’m Reaper.”

Error immediately flinched back, but didn’t move away this time. He stared at the hand offered to him. He knew Reaper’s touch wouldn’t kill him. It didn’t before. But still… it was touching… Error’s soul was oddly fluttering, excited, and Error didn’t know why. Was it nervousness? Was he anxious? It felt weird. Even though, Error decided against his knee-jerk reaction to attack the offered hand and instead extended his strings to wrap around Reaper’s hand and wrist as a proxy handshake. As soon as Error’s strings touched Reaper’s cold hand, he could feel that warmth again. It was faint because it was from his strings, but he could still feel it nonetheless. It was… nice. “Error…” He responded awkwardly, tightening his strings unconsciously.

Reaper’s smile softened as he felt Error’s strings wrap around his hand and wrist. It was… warm. Just like Geno was. Reaper had to swallow hard as a sob threatened to wrench its way out of his throat. He held it back as his fingers wrapped around the thin blue strings, holding it dearly, yet tenderly.

This wasn’t Geno. This was Error.

Still… Reaper couldn’t help but smile and hold those blue strings. He didn’t want to let go.

Reaper didn’t know how to feel. Error had no memories of him, or of being Geno. But Error had Geno’s soul. So then maybe, just maybe, that meant Error could learn to remember?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like to think that Nightmare's gang is more close than usually portrayed. They all live together in the castle and fight together, so I like to think that they have each other's backs. There's also so much more about them I'd like to delve into, but I plan to do that in another fic I'm working on.
> 
> I also like to think that Error and Cross would get along. Cross is canonly based off of US Sans, or at least him and his AU is similar to it since Underswap was one of the AU's that XGaster took inspiration from. Since Error and US Sans are friends, I like to think Error and Cross would be friends too, since Cross is like US Sans, but a little more mature and has similar PTSD to Error. 
> 
> Side Note: If you squint real hard there's some juicy KillerCreamMare going on. ☆(≖ᴗ≖๑)


	3. It's A Work Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the late update. (ó﹏ò｡)  
> I went on a trip (one that I didn't really have a choice in going) and got hecka sick and it took months to recover enough to start writing again. PSA: don't travel during a global pandemic. 
> 
> ⭐Shoutout to [PudgyChee](https://twitter.com/PudgyChee) who did beautiful cover art for this chapter. ⭐  
> You can also check out their page for all their work. ☆ヾ(*´▽｀)ﾉ

Meeting Error hadn’t gone as well as Reaper could have hoped. The discovery that Geno not only had no memories of Reaper, but also had no memories of himself as Geno was soul crushing to say the least. For a brief moment Reaper wondered if maybe Error had stolen Geno’s soul before destroying him like he did so many other sans’ or “anomalies” as he was known to call them. But that thought was thrown out as quickly as it came up. For one, Error didn’t even seem to know who Geno was, and the destroyer wasn’t known to pass up an opportunity to boast about his kills. Secondly, why would Error put a random broken soul within his own? It didn’t make sense from his past behaviors with stolen souls. Lastly, Reaper just knew deep down that wasn’t the case. There were too many similarities to Error and Geno for them not to be the same skeleton.

Their personalities were painfully similar. Everything from the threats, to the jokes, to the distrust. Meeting Error was like meeting Geno for the first time. Reaper compared as he thought back to their brief encounter.

_Error stared down at Reaper’s hand where his strings entwined with the god’s fingers and wrist. Was it strange to say it felt… nice? Error’s face contorted to a frown at that thought. Yes, yes it was strange. What the hell was he thinking? He was Error, the world destroyer. He didn’t do handshakes and small talk. “Well, now you know I’m alive. I’m gonna go now.” He warned the other as he disconnected his blue threads and turned away from the god. His soul felt like it was fluttering and it made Error more confused than anything. He didn’t understand his own feelings, which was bad. The last thing he needed to do was be distracted around someone as powerful as Reaper. As if to agree with his thoughts, Error’s body began to pixelate in agitation and stress. Just the thought of danger was enough to make the edges of his glitched form fizzle._

_Reaper’s sockets widened when he saw the blue strings go slack in his hand. Instantly the warmth was gone. “Wait!” Reaper called out and took a hasty step forward. He had finally found Geno and now he was going to run away. No, he couldn’t lose him again!_

_Apparently that was a wrong move because Reaper’s sudden advancement caused Error’s body to pixelate even more. The destroyer turned with a weary glare, his body stiffened in a defensive stance._

_Reaper was quick to stop himself from reaching out to the other. It was clear Error didn’t trust him. Which was fair. To Error, they barely knew one another. Reaper held back the sting he felt when he was reminded that Geno had no memories of him. He was right there, so close, yet further away than ever before. He had to think about what he said next. Error was skittish, that much he could tell. He needed to choose his words carefully. “I was wondering if… I uh…” Reaper stammered for a moment before steeling himself and his confidence. “I was wondering we could meet again. Maybe if you’d like to hang out sometime?” He asked letting a little bit of hope bleed into his voice._

_Error’s sockets narrowed as he eyed the other with utter disbelief. Reaper, god of death, wanted to hang out with him, the destroyer of worlds. The one person who caused more death than most genocidal Frisk’s and Chara’s combined. It just didn’t make sense. First Ink wanted to hang out, now Reaper. Was stupidity contagious? “Why…” Error started. He had to pause for words because the idea was so ridiculous. “Why the hell do you want to hang out with me?” Error gestured to himself as if Reaper was blind. “I’m quite easily the most dangerous and most hated monster in the multiverse.” He explained, stunned he even had to spell this out for the other._

_Reaper let out a soft almost sad sigh. He knew all this. He knew how dangerous, how universally feared and hated Error was. But there was something about hearing Geno say these things about himself that made Reaper almost angry. Strange. He felt so much hatred, so much discontent for Error before, but now… he wanted to defend him. Although there was a big part of him that knew there was no way he could fully defend Error for his actions, but he still felt like defending Geno from himself. It felt like a war was raging in Reaper’s mind. “I know who you are and what you’ve done.” Reaper started with a shrug. “but it doesn’t really matter. I just… want to get to know you.” The new you. Reaper thought. The new Geno._

_Error’s skeptical glare turned to a confused one as he eyed Reaper and his open, nonchalant stance. “Why? What would you get out of it?” He was still weary of the other. Ink’s persistent requests for friendship had been the guardian’s way of trying to get Error to stop destroying. Ink never outright admitted it, but Error knew deep down that was the squid’s plan. Get him soft, get him to care about their friendship so Ink could lord it over them in the future. It’s why Error kept Ink at a distance. But what was Reaper’s game? What was he after? He had already tried to kill him once, so he could be trying to get him to let down his guard so he could finish the job. Except… at any point Reaper could have jumped him with his scythe, yet he never once raised his weapon… Error didn’t like not knowing. It was driving him mad. He wanted to lash out at Reaper, because who the hell would ever want to hang out with him? He hated the thought of being played for some ulterior motive. But he did his best to hold back and wait._

_Reaper felt his shoulders drop just a bit. Hearing Error get so defensive over the mere thought of Reaper wanting to hang out with him reminded him of the way Geno would get defensive whenever Reaper would try to tell him he liked hanging out with the glitch in the Save Screen. Both couldn’t fathom that others wanted to spend time with them. The thought caused that feeling of sadness and anger to burn again. “Why?” Reaper repeated Error’s question. “Because I want to. I’ve never met anyone like you out of all the AU’s in the multiverse. I think there’s more to you than just being the world destroyer… and I want to get to know you.” Reaper finished with a soft smile. “Plus it’s not often I get to meet someone I don’t have to worry about accidentally killing.”_

_Error’s metaphorical hackles slowly lowered as he stared back at Reaper. Reaper’s sockets were hollow, void of any eye lights. Most would call his smile creepy because of it. But Error… he couldn’t help but feel trusting of that soft smile. Something about it felt so… he couldn’t put words to it. It felt warm, inviting, familiar? Error grumbled silently at the way his soul sped up at the god’s simple smile. Stupid organ must be busted or something. Maybe the chocolate he had was bad._

_“Also,” Reaper took a leap of faith, trying something he did with Geno when they first met. “as for what I get out of it, well I get to hang out with a cute skeleton.” Reaper finished with a wink and coy smile._

_Inside, Reaper’s soul was pounding. He waited to see how Error would react._

_It took a moment for Reaper’s words to sink in, but when they did, Error’s face bloomed like a supernova with a bright yellow blush that sparkled with specks of galaxy blue. Error sputtered and let out embarrassed beeps as his voice glitched in pitch. “W-wha! The hell you fucking weirdo!” Error quickly raised his arms to hide his burning skull. He was glaring daggers at Reaper, but the threatening look lost all of its bite behind the clear blush that burned on his face._

_Seeing Error’s reaction, Reaper smiled._

_A true, genuine smile. One he hadn’t made in over a millennia._

_That was the same reaction Geno had made the first time he had flirted with the glitch. Error made the same face, cussed at him, and gave an adorable glare the exact same way._

_Reaper’s soul was soaring at the sight. He couldn’t help but chuckle at Error’s embarrassed beeps and flustered sounds. It was just as cute as Geno’s sputtering._

_Error saw Reaper smile and laugh, and his soul thrummed with warmth. Why?! Why was it doing that?! Error tried to school his expression into a deeper glare, but he just couldn’t. He knew he couldn’t be taken seriously while that stupid robed asshole was making him blush! “Agh! Are you making fun of me?!” Error yelled defensively._

_“I’m not!” Reaper was quick to respond. “Believe me I’m not.” He continued to smile._

_Error relaxed a little but still kept his glare locked on the other._

_“So,” Reaper spoke up. “does that mean you’ll agree to hang out with me?”_

_Error finally got his magic to calm down and let his face cool off, although he could still feel a faint flush on his skull. “Fine! Whatever! If you want to hang out so much and waste your time, who am I to stop you.” He finished with what definitely wasn’t a pout._

_Reaper’s smile widened further and he felt himself wanting to run and hug Error, but knowing better than to push his luck with the other._

_Error huffed at Reaper’s smile that he refused to admit caused his soul to flutter as he turned around and opened a portal back to his anti-void. Reaper wanted to hang out with him, huh? Well he was going to make it clear that whatever game he was playing, Error was onto him. Error kept his back turned, but looked behind him to shoot Reaper an evil grin. “You can hang out with me… while I destroy AU’s.” He leveled the other with challenging eyes. If Reaper really did just want to hang out and had no ulterior motives, then he should be fine hanging out with Error while he was at work. Watching as hundreds of anomalies dust and AU’s crumble and die._

_Reaper flinched, his smile vanishing. He had never been around while Error was actively destroying AUs. He had only been around for the aftermath. Could he really sit and watch Geno murder hundreds of innocent monsters and destroy AU’s? It just… it wasn’t like Geno…_

_Error noticed Reaper’s smile vanish and it caused something in him to ache. No, he wasn’t disappointed. It’s not like he didn’t expect it. Reaper had ulterior motives, of course he wouldn’t want to hang out with him just to ‘get to know him’. Of course Reaper would be upset having to sit and watch AU’s crumble. This was what he wanted, to catch Reaper in his lie. Of course people didn’t want to just hang out with him. He was the world destroyer! Hated by everyone! And Reaper was no different…_

_Error tsked and turned back towards the portal, not wanting to see the torn look on Reaper’s face anymore. “You can hang out with me for work… if you can find me. I’m a busy skeleton, so don’t expect an invitation.” Error finished and without waiting for Reaper to respond, he stepped through his portal back into his empty anti-void._

_Reaper flinched when he saw Error turn. “Wait!” But he was too late._

_Error was already gone._

_And the only way Reaper could see him again was if he hung around while Error destroyed an innocent AU…_

Reaper felt himself sighing heavily as he sunk deeper into his bed. It was late and Reaper had finally laid down to relax. Although his mind couldn’t rest as it replayed the events of his and Error’s meeting from two weeks ago over and over in his head.

The next time he could see Error was only during work, while he destroyed AUs. And even then, Reaper would have to find him before he finished, meaning he would have to keep track of every soul that called out to him to check if it was actually their time or not.

Just thinking about it made Reaper feel exhausted. Mentally, physically, especially emotionally…

Slowly, Reaper pulled out the blue strings he kept from their meeting from under his pillow. Reaper eyed the blue threads while rubbing his thumb over them. He could faintly feel Error’s magic on them. His strings, the ones he used to shake his hand with. The ones that held warmth similar to Geno’s when connected to Error.

What had happened to Geno?

Geno was forced to watch his family and loved ones die over and over on the monitor in the Save Screen. He was trapped there for stars knows how long, forced to relive the death of everyone he knew and cared about. By the time Reaper had come Geno seemed indifferent towards the deaths happening on screen, but after time Reaper had found that wasn’t the case. Geno was strong. He held in his emotions, acted like it didn’t affect him. But during those bad days when Reaper was allowed to be with him, when Geno allowed himself to open up, Reaper saw how still till the day he vanished, those deaths, and all the murders, still affected him. They broke him.

So how… how could a soul as caring and tender as Geno’s turn into a mass murder of multiverse level proportions?

It’s not that Reaper really cared about murder. He was Death. Murders came with the job. Before all this, his anger had come from the extra work the murders had caused, making his schedule packed, making his job messy. Sure he may have become a little more empathetic towards those who lost their loved ones. So when Error would rip people apart before it was their time, it would hit a little too close to home. It was just hard to believe Geno would... Reaper frowned as the thought came to his mind.

It was hard to believe Geno would turn into the thing he hated the most…

Reaper sighed as he rolled over onto his stomach, hugging his pillow close as he let his tired sockets close.

He missed Geno so much…

He missed his old Geno.

He missed the Geno that would blush and furiously deny that he liked Reaper’s flirting. The same Geno who would laugh at his morbid jokes. The Geno who was so touch starved, yet so shy, that he struggled to ask for affection. Pouting with an adorably grumpy face until Reaper read the little hints of body language and pull the glitch into his arms himself. Once Geno was in a comfortable spot, it was near impossible to get him to let go, not that Reaper ever minded. Rare to ever see Geno initiate heated moments, but when he did, it was the sexiest thing in the whole multiverse. How endearingly possessive Geno had become once he realized Reaper wasn’t going anywhere, and as a god could never die, quelling the one main fear that caused the majority of his commitment issues. His Geno wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea. He was moody, short tempered, powerful and dangerous, but Geno was his. He only showed Reaper the sides of himself the rest of the multiverse never saw. The loving side, the thoughtful side, and the protective side. To others Geno was just a glitch from a genocidal AU. But to Reaper, he was perfect. He was his soulmate.

Reaper’s mind drifted to Geno without the thought of guilt and self-hatred for the first time in many years. He simply thought about Geno, how he used to be, and all the moments they shared together. A small smile working its way onto Reaper’s skull with each fond memory. He thought about all the times they would spend together, both inside the Save Screen and out. Geno had been adorably nervous to meet Reaper’s brother. He had broken into sobs upon first sight, Papyrus being identical to Geno’s late brother was too much to take in with one meeting. But Papyrus was more than happy to be able to hug someone other than his brother without fear of killing them. So Papyrus was content with holding a sobbing Geno until the other cried himself to sleep.

Once Geno had become accustomed to being around identical people to those he had lost in his AU, normal life had picked up. Geno and Alphys, the goddess of wisdom, had become close friends, which was good times for everyone. Geno got a friend and Alphys got to hang around when Undyne, the goddess of war, would be around to hang out with Papyrus. Everyone quickly became close friends.

Their life was good. Reaper would wake up with Geno curled up in his arms in his bed. He would wake his adorable grumpy soulmate with a kiss then fall back asleep. Only to be awoken by the smell of fresh coffee Geno would make for them. On Reaper’s days off they would spend the day either exploring a new AU, introducing Geno to all the things he missed out while trapped in the Save Screen, or just relaxing at home with a good book or a cheesy made for TV movie.

Then at night, like clockwork without fail, Geno would pout while pulling back the covers of their shared bed until Reaper would pull Geno into his arms and shower him with kisses. Geno pretended to be annoyed, but Reaper knew he loved their nightly ritual. They would kiss, Reaper would whisper his love for Geno, and Geno would either call him stupid or quietly whisper he loved Reaper back, depending on how sassy he felt that day. Reaper knew without a shadow of a doubt that Geno loved him back just as much as Reaper did. He never questioned his mate’s feelings. Geno had made it clear through his actions that he only truly trusted Reaper, fully, with body and soul.

Reaper raised his skull, thoughts and memories of Geno fresh in his mind. He looked over at the side of the bed that Geno used to sleep on. To this day he left it empty. Slowly, Reaper’s hand slid out and felt the cold covers that were long since bare of Geno’s warmth.

Was there a way to get Geno back?

Reapers thoughts wondered as he remembered the day with Error. His sockets slowly closed, lulled to sleep after the long stressful day of work. After all, he needed his rest if he was going to keep tabs on all the lost souls that appeared, indication that Error was killing hundreds and destroying a whole AU…

Stars he missed Geno… so much…. 

___________________________________________________

It was a bright early morning. Two long weeks had gone by since Reaper had last seen Error. As dutifully as he could, he kept tabs on all the souls that called out to him, checking on each and every hourglass to make sure it was their designated time, just in case Error arose. It was exhausting work, but Reaper was willing to do it. He needed to see Geno again. No matter what it took. He would push through any exhaustion.

His brother Papyrus and Undyne were in the living room watching a new anime that Undyne totally wasn’t watching just because Alphys had recommended it in passing. The two were laughing and enjoying themselves in the moment. It made the house a little more lively.

There were some further repercussions when Geno had been erased from the world. Anything that had been affected by Geno’s presence had been essentially reset. Any items purchased by the glitch, vanished. Pictures, blanked out. Clothes, non-existent. The reaches of Geno’s disappearance went further than simple material items. It even affected others, and not just their memory of the long lost skeleton. Because Undyne had only spent all the extra time with Alphys because Alphys was Geno’s friend, when Geno disappeared, it was as if all that time Alphys had spent at Reaper’s home with his brother and Undyne never happened. What once was a budding relationship between the Goddess of Wisdom and the Goddess of War was now back to casual acquaintances and awkward secret crushes. Every moment the two goddesses shared thanks to Alphys and Geno’s friendship had been wiped from existents. It was as if all the time they spent together, all of them growing their friendships, had been nothing but a dream.

Reaper had considered trying to get the two goddesses back together, but his attempts as a wingman had crashed and burned rather spectacularly. Alphys wasn’t particularly fond of Reaper, she had only been comfortable around Geno. When Reaper had tried to approach Alphys alone, well… he had basically scared the skittish god off. Alphys was terrified of both Reaper and his brother. It wasn’t too shocking considering their reputation and the rumors that spread about them. Most gods from his world avoided Death and Death’s younger brother at all costs. Since they had the power to kill, even immortal gods, most gods feared them.

A particularly loud laugh from both Papyrus and Undyne tore Reaper away from his morning coffee. He smiled from the kitchen where he was perched against the marble countertop as watched his brother and Undyne suplex the furniture with pent up adrenaline caused by the action sequences in the anime. The resulting punctured couch cushions and flurries of stuffing and feathers caused Reaper to chuckle at the two. At least his brother still had his best friend. He was grateful for that.

Undyne was a force to be reckoned with. She had bravely approached both Reaper and his brother long before Geno came into the picture. So her relationship with Papyrus remained unchanged. As the Goddess of War, she was no stranger to death and carnage, therefore feared no rumor about the brothers. Instead, she grew an instant bond with Papyrus. The two were both so loud and expressive. It was as if they didn’t fit in with anyone else, but to each other, they were two peas of a pod.

A soft smile spread across Reaper’s skull as he watched the two laugh as they tried to gather up all the fluff and feathers to clean up, occasionally starting a fluff fight. 

Right as Reaper was about to get up to join his brother in the living room, he felt a tug. A familiar tug. It was the call of lost souls.

Tiredly, Reaper took another sip of his coffee and without fail, checked the soul’s hourglass. He wasn’t expecting much since nothing had popped up for two whole weeks, not a single trace of the destroyer, but he almost spit his coffee out when he noticed their hour glass was off by a significant amount of sand.

It was Error!

Reaper quickly glanced back towards the living room just to be sure his Brother hadn’t noticed the pull of the soul. When he saw the coast was clear, Reaper quickly moved from the kitchen to the hallway where there was more privacy. Immediately Reaper summoned his scythe and tore open a portal to the corresponding AU the soul was calling from. He knew he had to be quick. Error was a meticulous killer. Once there was one kill, the others were soon to follow. 

Suddenly, as if on que, more souls started to call out.

When Reaper felt the tug of souls that passed before their time, he was instantly filled with nerves. What kind of nerves? He wasn’t sure. On one hand he would get to see Geno again, and that thought alone was enough to have him floating on cloud nine. But on the other hand, he would have to sit idly by and watch as the destroyer annihilated AUs. What would Reaper even say or talk about while the destroyer murdered hundreds of innocent monsters? Hey, nice weather we’re having, great day for a blood bath. The thought didn’t seem appealing.

Could Reaper even stand on the sidelines while AUs were destroyed? Could he watch his love dissolve into the one thing he despised the most right before his eyes?

Reaper hesitated, the grip on his scythe a little too strong and his hands shook. He didn’t want to take the portal to the AU he knew Error was in.

He was afraid...

He was afraid of what he’d see and that it would change his perception of his once gentle, loving Geno.

Wait what?

No! Impossible… Reaper could never be anything but madly in love with Geno. No matter what he did…

Even as Reaper tried to convince himself, he knew his soul wasn’t in it.

With a heavy sigh and even heavier soul, Reaper finally gathered the strength to move through the portal to the multiverses’ first victim of the day.

When Reaper emerged from the portal he found himself in what seemed to be a timeline of the original Undertale universe. The god blinked in shock thinking that Error had gone mad and finally attacked the core world of the multiverse. That was until he noticed the small, almost indistinguishable differences of the town of Snowdin. The buildings looked the same, but the cheerful Gyftmas lights were missing. There was something off about the normally friendly and cozy town, something subtle yet eerie. It left a chill down Reaper’s spine. Whatever it was, it was something very wrong to be able to make the God of Death uncomfortable.

Reaper decided against looking into the strange feeling and instead decided to look for Error. The destroyer had to be nearby since the portal had opened near a free floating disembodied soul.

As Reaper floated down the well-known path of Snowdin, he noticed that there was little to no damage to the surrounding area. No open tears of code, no destroyed buildings, just piles of dust and free floating souls. Even the souls seemed calm and content to their death. A very strange and unnatural occurrence to their untimely demise. Normally Reaper would appear long after the destroyer was done, so most souls were quiet when he reaped the aftermath of destroyed AU’s, but this AU was still intact. The souls should still be fresh which would normally cry out with their last thoughts and regrets.

Reaper’s hollow sockets narrowed suspiciously at the souls as he passed by. That eerie feeling only intensified.

As Reaper rounded a building towards the local Grillby’s, he finally spotted Error. Reaper froze as he watched Error string up the resident Papyrus. Their soul was exposed, entrapped in dangerous blue threads, all of which were wrapped around and controlled by Error’s multicolored fingers. Reaper lowered his skull, shading his sockets with his hood as he watched Error “work” without interfering.

“GAH! STOP THIS MADNESS!” Papyrus shouted, twitching uncomfortably as his body and soul betrayed him. Every movement he made was controlled by the strange and dangerous newcomer. “REALEASE ME!”

“Come on now, just a few more to go.” Error cooed with a wicked grin. His fingers moved which caused the Papyrus to turn towards a pinned Grillby like a puppet controlled by strings.

The flame elemental looked as though it had been through hell. Their clothes were torn and a limb was pinned to the wall of their establishment by a single white bone.

Grillby growled at the both of them, his glasses broken as it sat skewed on his face. “Papyrus, stop this! What have you done to the town? To your friends and neighbors!” He hissed from the movement he dared try. The bone was embedded all the way through his arm. There was no escaping.

Reaper tried to be quiet. He really did. His fists shook at his sides as he watched Error torture a Papyrus, forcing them to murder for him. A Papyrus for crying out loud! Reaper couldn’t help but think back to his own brother who he had been with just moments ago. Reaper, like many Sanses, adored their brothers. It was painful to watch someone who looked identical to his own brother suffer at the hands of Error.

How could Geno? He loved his brother Papyrus more than life itself. His brother was the one thing that pushed Geno to fight, even when he was supposed to die. How could Error!? How could he so casually, with a smile on his face, torture another Papyrus?! How could he turn into… into this!

Reaper was prepared to see Error terrorize the resident Sans. Hell even an Undyne or King Asgore, but never a Papyrus.

The bitterness that Reaper felt boiled into a clenched growl. He tried to bite it back, he tried to stay quiet, but he couldn’t. The disappointment he felt in his soul, the pain of seeing his sweet, gentle love hurt a Papyrus was too much to bear.

It wasn’t much, but Error heard the dangerous sound from Reaper and turned towards their spectator. Error was prepared for a fight, thinking it was somehow Ink or Dream, but his sockets widened when they landed on a very pissed off looking Reaper.

So Reaper came? Error wasn’t sure how he felt about that. On one hand he was kind of… glad maybe? That Reaper would actually show. That he wasn’t just saying lies to get Error to stop destroying. But when Error saw the look on Reaper’s face, his own contorted into a defensive glare. Was Reaper going to fight him? If he had an issue with Error destroying AU’s why didn’t he say so before? Why have a problem now? Why did he even bother to come?! “So you decided to show. Boy, you looked pissed.” Error taunted Reaper while tightening his strings around the Papyrus’ soul just to be sure it wouldn’t slip from his grasp now that his attention was being split. “What’s wrong? Can’t handle a little dust?”

“STOP THIS-AGH! PLEASE!” The resident Papyrus cried out, his hands unable to move by his own will. He wanted to pull the strings away, but the threads instead forced his hand to raise and summon more bones. He was being used, like a weapon, a toy for a deranged killer to play with.

Reaper stepped forward, no longer hiding behind the building. He faced the destroyer head on. “How could you… It’s one thing to destroy an AU, it’s another to torture the monsters in it. I thought you were meticulous in your work. I thought you liked to make clean kills all together in one fell swoop. Why are you wasting time just to torture innocent souls?! Why would you torture a Papyrus?!”

Error glared harder at Reaper. He stayed silent as he leveled the god with a look that would send most monsters trembling in fear.

Reaper waited for Error to respond, to explain himself in anyway shape or form. Had Geno really lost himself so much to become… this?

Error never responded to Reaper’s questions. Instead he turned towards the Papyrus in his hold, his glare morphing into a soulless smirk. “I’m torturing this Papyrus huh? I thought we were just playing. Maybe I should push him further. He doesn’t seem _that_ upset anyway. Not nearly as broken as he can be.” Error chuckled, but the sound was more creepy than anything.

Reaper flinched and bared his fangs as he clenched his teeth, doing his god damn best not to attack Error right then and there. He couldn’t strike. Error would never trust him after that. And if Geno was still inside there, and if Reaper wanted to rescue him, he needed to play his cards right. He only had one shot at saving Geno.

“PLEASE, I’M BEGGING YOU, STOP THIS!” The Papyrus begged again, still struggling against the magical bonds that controlled him.

Error laughed at the pathetic attempt to break free of his strings. “Stop this? Oh but aren’t we having fun, Papyrus? No? Maybe we should have some real fun by involving your _brother_?”

That caused the Papyrus to still.

“Yeah, that sounds real fun.” Error continued. “We can strip him down, tie him up, and have our way with him...”

Reaper was appalled. Was this the normal kind of torture Error would inflict on his victims? He had never heard of it before. Was it because he was watching? Was Error being extra cruel just to put on a show for Reaper? Reaper’s hand shook as it held his scythe. He still refused to raise his weapon, no matter how badly he wanted to. He couldn’t interfere. He wanted to, but he couldn’t. He had to save Geno!

One chance!

“Or better yet…” Error marched on, his voice lower now that he knew Papyrus was listening to his every word. “We can let Grillby have a go at Sans. After all they _are_ lovers. We should let them have one last goodbye. I’m sure Sans would enjoy being with his love. One last tender moment together before they become dust in each other’s arms. How romantic…”

Reaper felt like he was going to be sick. What Error was saying was hitting home in his own soul. What he would have given to have one last moment with Geno. That’s why he was here, watching his love turn into something horrible right before his very eyes.

“How Dare You…” Papyrus whispered. His voice was completely void of its normal hope or vibrato.

Error smirked. Bingo. There it is.

Reaper shivered when he felt the tense almost electrified shift in the air. He blinked looking at the Papyrus who lowered their skull. The shadow over their eyes making them look dangerous. A far cry from any Papyrus’ normal jubilant and kind expression.

“How Dare You Touch Sans… My Sans… Grillby…”

Reaper flinched, his sockets going wide. Wait, why was Papyrus angry at Grillby? What was going on? Reaper took a hesitant step back as he watch Error’s strings go slack, yet still wrapped around Papyrus’ soul. It was like an owner letting go of the lock on a leash. A long leash allowing their beast to move free.

Grillby blinked in surprise. “Papyrus…? What are you talking about…?”

Papyrus’ hard gaze moved back up to Grillby, all the kindness in his eyes gone. He leveled the flame monster with a crazed look, one full of pure hatred. “You Disgusting Vermin. You Were The One Who Took Sans From Me. Took All His Time Away.” Papyrus began to stock forward, not even noticing that he once again had control of his body. “You Touched My Brother, Defiled Him. He Was Mine And Mine Alone! ALL MINE! YOU THINK YOU DESERVED HIM! OF COURSE NOT! THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN MEET ALL THE STANDARDS IS ME! ONLY I CAN HAVE MY BROTHER! ONLY I CAN HAVE HIS TIME, HIS LOVE, AFFECTION, HIS SOUL!”

Reaper once again felt that eerie chill run down his spine. It was the same feeling he’d had when he came to the AU. This was it. That odd wrongness that he couldn’t place. He watched the scene unfold with a strange weariness. Something wasn’t right, and it wasn’t Error’s doing.

Papyrus rushed Grillby and stabbed a blue bone through the pinned flame elemental’s chest all on his own, not controlled by Error. “Only I Get To Enjoy Sans’ Body. You Won’t Ever Lay A Disgusting Finger On Him Again.” The unsettling smile on Papyrus’ face grew as he twisted the blue bone with every word. He finished off with a crazed laugh. “Nyehehe! His Beautiful Cunt Is Made For Me. His Moans Are For Me To Hear Only. You Won’t Get To Touch Him Ever Again. He’ll Never Leave Me. He’ll Stay With Me In Our Home, Forever.”

Grillby coughed, the bone stabbing right into his soul ticked away at his already wounded health with each unforgiving, agonizing twist. He looked up and leveled Papyrus with a heated glare. “It w-was you this whole time… Sans w-wasn’t actually sick! Y-you had him held prisoner! That’s why you would n-never let anyone see him…” The shock and realization mixed with heated anger. All this time Grillby had been worried if Sans was alright. He had been missing for months. But every time Grillby went to see him at the brother’s house, Papyrus had shooed him off. Stars what had Papyrus been doing to Sans this whole time?! Was he okay?! “What did you do to Sans?!”

Reaper’s sockets widened in absolute horror and shock. Papyrus… a regular Undertale version of Papyrus was torturing his own brother..?

Error huffed and watched as Grillby struggled to hold on, probably for the sake of the world’s Sans, but the wounds were too much. After a few more agonizing twists of the blue bone, Grillby gave one final cry and turned to dust under Papyrus’ attack. He quickly tightened his strings around the Papyrus’ soul as to keep the deranged brother in check. “Just as I thought…” Error stated with an almost sad tone to his voice. He knew he wasn’t wrong about the AU. Of course he wasn’t, he could read the worlds code. But… a small piece of Error, hidden way deep down, always wished he was wrong about these things.

Reaper blinked in utter silence. It took him a long time to process what he had seen and heard for himself. Still, he just couldn’t believe it. This wasn’t a fell universe. Nor was it a negative one that Nightmare would reign over. So how could the world’s Papyrus become so…

“Alright pal. Time for you to go too.” Before the world’s Papyrus even had a chance to respond, Error’s hand balled into a fist and the connecting strings tightened around the captive soul until it shattered into nothingness, not even dust. Just a sea of broken code that vanished before it hit the dusty snow below. The Papyrus’ body crumbled to dust itself and Error bent down to rifle through the remains, unfazed. He looked through the Papyrus’ clothes and belongings until he pulled out a single silver key. “There we go. Got it.”

Reaper stared in stunned silence as Error dusted off his hands and pocketed the key, completely unperturbed by the scene that had just played out in front of him. “How…” Reaper found himself at a loss of words. He noticed Error had turned to stare at him, expecting him to finish his question. Reaper flinched at the calm look. “How… did you know the Papyrus was… like that?” He wanted to say evil, but Reaper knew as the god of death there was no place for him to judge. He thought he had seen it all thanks to his line of work, but apparently not. And Error looked so calm! How often did the destroyer come across something like this?

Error gave a tired sigh and stepped over the piles of dust, being sure not to get any on his black flip-flops as he approached Reaper. He stopped a good bit away, giving the god and him some space. “I read it in this world’s code. This AU had become corrupted, so it needed to be destroyed.” Error pointed out as he looked around them, noting that there were no more monsters left in the entire underground.

Reaper looked around the quiet, barren space that once used to inhabit a whole world. All of them snuffed out by a Papyrus puppeteered by the destroyer. Well… not all of them. Reaper was starting to wonder how many citizens may have already been killed by the deranged Papyrus before Error even got here. “And how can you tell if it’s corrupted?” Reaper found himself asking, curious to Error’s destructive thought processes.

Error looked to the side awkwardly and gave a shrug. “I can feel when AU’s become corrupted. It’s hard to explain…” Error rubbed the back of his skull nervously. It was strange trying to explain his connection to the multiverse to someone who didn’t understand. At least Ink understood how Error felt. They both were acutely in tune with the multiverse and its expansive worlds. “It’s like a tug… or a pull. I’m not sure how else to describe it. Basically, I know what I’m doing, and I know when an AU has gone off script. I can also read it in the world’s code to be sure.”

Reaper blinked with a bit of surprise, but hummed in understanding. “So the same way I feel disembodied souls, I’m guessing.” It was shocking to hear their powers were so… similar. Reaper didn’t have any power or sway in the multiverse, so he had no bounds to question Error’s abilities. Reading code was definitely a nifty skill. “So tell me… how does an AU become corrupted?” Reaper pressed further. It was becoming something of a morbid fascination to understand how the process worked with worlds that were chosen to be destroyed. “And do you only destroy corrupted AU’s?” 

Error leveled Reaper with a hard stare. He studied the god as to try and guess what his motives were for asking such questions. No one had ever really asked him questions beyond ‘why are you doing this?’, in which Error would always respond ‘Because I have to’. It was true, Error had to do this. He was the world destroyer. It was his job to destroy worlds and keep the balance. Eventually he would destroy enough to make a dent in all the AU’s. He would eventually destroy all the copies until only the original remained. But until the creators calmed the fuck down, that wasn’t happening anytime soon. So, keeping the balance was the best he could do with the work load he had. Error continued to stare down Reaper as he thought about the other’s questions. It’s not like Reaper or anyone else could control the corruption of AUs. He supposed it wouldn’t hurt or benefit Reaper to know. Error took a deep breath before beginning his explanation. “An AU becomes corrupted when either one, outside forces like the X-Event happen. Or two, the most common reason, is when a world is abandoned without an ending already planned for it. Without a way for the AU to progress like the original, it’s forced to repeat itself. Only to progress so far before starting again. Without a clear ending, it’s easier for previous files to get corrupted. As you could see, it happened to this universe’s Papyrus.”

Reaper blinked in utter shock. Error knew so much about the multiverse, down to its very code it seemed. Reaper knew Geno was a smart Sans, but he never realized his knowledge would go this far. Reaper continued to listen intensely to every word Error spoke, slowly being able to put pieces of the destroyer’s motives together.

“When AU’s have no ending prepared, creators make it with the intent of focusing on one aspect of the original story. And because for some godforsaken reason creators are obsessed with Sanses, their stories usually focus on him.” Error turned from Reaper and slowly began to tether his strings to pieces of the AU. The blue fibers clung to the very code of the AU, getting ready to destroy the AU once and for all. “This AU was just one of many known as Bad Brother AU. It’s where creators create a world just to torture either the resident Sans or Papyrus. The AU as a whole isn’t necessarily negative or positive since the underground continues on as normal. The only thing that changes is the brother’s dynamics.” Slowly, Error began to rip at the world, tearing pieces of code away string by string. “Except this AU was abandoned and never finished. So the Sans was stuck in a never ending horror caused by their own brother.”

Reaper frowned at the thought. To think monsters are born to worlds that can be abandoned before they are even finished. They aren’t trapped because of the human resetting, they are trapped from conception. There was never a chance for freedom for them. Reaper can’t help but wonder if Geno’s world was one of those abandoned AUs. Did Geno’s creator leave him to be forgotten in the Save Screen forever? If Reaper had never come to reap Geno, thus causing the fateful encounter where he met his soulmate, would Geno still be there to this day? Reaper found himself staring forlornly at Error.

Error ignored the look Reaper gave him and continued on, answering Reaper’s other question. “And no, I don’t only destroy corrupted AU’s. I destroy them all. I just try to destroy corrupted AU’s as soon as I sense them.”

Reaper was silent for a while before finally speaking up again, his voice quiet, almost a whisper. “So why do you do it? Why do you destroy AUs?”

There it was. Error was quiet for a long while before speaking up. “Because I have to.” He answered just like had answered countless others thousands of times before. Except, this time, Error felt compelled to tell Reaper more. To tell him the one thing he had never told others. “Because as the world destroyer it’s my job to keep the balance. If I don’t destroy AU’s creators don’t move onto new ideas. They’ll get bored, abandon the story of Undertale all together. Then all the AU’s will become corrupted.” As much as Error wanted to destroy all the AU’s, he didn’t want them all to become corrupted. It was a painful existence, with nothing but misery. And as much as Error hated all the anomalies that the multiverse created, he couldn’t help but think about all the okay anomalies it created. Like Blue, Nightmare, Cross, and the gang. And unfortunately Ink. Error… didn’t want them to suffer… too much that is.

Reaper’s sockets slowly widened as realization sunk in.

In a way, Error was protecting the multiverse.

Slowly, Reaper’s hand let go of his scythe and his weapon vanished into his magic. His soul pounded in his chest as his throat tightened and his sockets stung with unshed tears. Geno, his beloved… he was doing a thankless job to protect the multiverse. Hated by all, attacked on sight, tasked to take on the responsibility of ending the lives of others because of the carelessness of creators.

Reaper could relate.

“I guess you’re not as bad as you seem.” Reaper commented with a soft, sad smile.

Error huffed and crossed his arms, sticking his nose up like a spoiled child. “I’m still going to destroy all the AUs. Just don’t want them all corrupted first is all. It’s not a fair fight, and besides I love seeing anomalies squirm.” Error then turned directly towards Reaper and pointed at himself. “If anyone’s going to make those disgusting anomalies suffer it’s going to be me! Not some stupid corrupted data file!”

Reaper huffed and gave an amused smile. Even though Error was trying so hard to act tough, Reaper could tell his soul wasn’t fully in it. He decided not to provoke Error while he was on a tirade about how he loved to make others suffer, so he didn’t comment. “Yeah yeah I understand. You’re the world destroyer, I didn’t forget that.”

Error glared and was ready to make Reaper pay for his flippant attitude. He should be more scared of him damn it! But before Error could say anything, he felt a portal open up. A very familiar portal. Error sighed and turned to face a familiar greyscale child with the exact copy of Frisk’s character. Core Frisk. Error watched as they stepped out of their portal into the crumbling AU. “Finally you get here. You’re late!” Error barked at the small static colored child as he angrily rifled through his pocket, pulling out the silver key he had taken from Papyrus’ dust. “Here, the Sans is chained up in the basement. Take him and leave. I have an AU to finish destroying and I don’t have all day.” The key was then tossed at the child’s head which they easily caught. Them and their stupid all-knowing entity bull shit cheating powers.

Reaper blinked at the appearance of Core Frisk. He had run into them plenty of times during his work. Core Frisk would often come to destroyed AU’s a little too late and run into Reaper while he was cleaning up the aftermath. They tried to save as many monsters as they could, but for the same reason Reaper often missed catching the destroyer in the act, Core Frisk had missed their chance to take any survivors to the Omega Timeline. Wait, had Error dragged out destroying the AU to allow Core Frisk time to get here? Was Error telling them where the local Sans was so they could be rescued?

Core Frisk smiled as they grabbed the key thrown at them. Looks like Error wasn’t in such a bad mood today. “You’re rather cheerful today Error. And you even have a friend with you. Good for you. I’ve been telling you to get out and socialize more.”

“Shut up.” Error glared and pointed at Reaper. “This isn’t a social event.”

Reaper blinked when pointed at before suddenly smirking deviously. He floated closer to Error and leaned into the other only to have Error lean away with an offended look. Reaper chuckled at the reaction and turned to Core Frisk with a flirty look. “He’s right this isn’t a social event, this is a work date.”

Error glitched and almost crashed. His voice digitized and changed pitch all over the place. “W-what?! No! T-this is not a date you freak!”

“Aw but Error we were spending time together and getting so close, isn’t that what a date is?” Reaper turned to Error to shoot him a flirty look and a wink.

Error’s response was reduced to embarrassed and frustrated beeps and stutters. “Why you-! Gah! Stupid! No!”

Reaper couldn’t help it, he smiled brightly enjoying the cute way Error got so easily flustered. He even called him stupid just like Geno used to!

Core Frisk blinked at the odd interaction between Reaper and Error. They hadn’t seen Reaper this happy in almost a millennia. They looked between the two for a while before quietly smiling and wishing them the best. They didn’t want to interfere and they could tell something good was happening. “Don’t worry, I won’t get in the way of your date. I’ve got a Sans to take to the Omega Timeline.” The child then vanished, reappearing at the basement door behind the skeleton brother’s house. They smiled at the key Error gave them. Error sometimes left survivors of AUs. He would always say it’s because he didn’t need souls from corrupted AUs to keep them from resetting, but Core Frisk knew that it was because Error secretly had a soft side for some of his victims. Especially Underswap survivors. Error never killed a single swap sans. They had a feeling Blue was the reason for that. Second on Error’s soft side list was Underfell Sanses. For someone who messes with Underfell Sans #13 on the regular, Error tends to leave a lot of Underfell survivors.

Core Frisk decided to stop worrying about Error and get to work. The world was crumbling after all. They took the key and unlocked the door to the basement. With slow, careful steps down to the basement floor they entered to a truly devastating scene. They kept a soft smile on their face as they approached the scared and chained up skeleton. Core Frisk knew this Sans had a long road ahead of them before they could start the journey of recovery.

Back in the middle of Snowdin Error cussed at the dumb child as they vanished to save the resident Sans. Stupid kid. Stupid Reaper. This was a stupid idea. He huffed and crossed his arms, choosing to mumble angrily into his scarf rather than look at Reaper who was laughing his stupid robed ass off. “Shut up!” Error shouted with an indignant blush.

Reaper recovered from his little laughing fit and floated closer to Error who looked absolutely adorable pouting like that. “Come on Error, don’t get so _cross_ ” Reaper started as he grabbed two of Error’s strings that hung limply from his fingers and entwined them.

Error shivered when he felt Reaper’s cold yet warm touch against his strings. He wanted to yell at the moron, but he ended up snorting at the pun instead.

Reaper continued to fondle Error’s threads, tying the blue strings into a little bow around his pinky and giving it a little wiggle. “I know I can get a little _knotty_ sometimes.”

Error had to look away and slap a hand to his mouth to stifle another snort that wanted to turn into a chuckle.

No! Reaper was not funny damn it!

Reaper smiled seeing Error’s reaction and continued. He moved closer, deciding to take the next step as he reached forward towards Error while he wasn’t looking. “But I was just _dying_ to get closer to you.” Reaper knew this move got an adorable blush from Geno in the past, so he was hoping to recreate it. Only one more pun to go if he remembered correctly. As Reaper opened his mouth to say his last line, he moved closer and slid his hands over Error’s, holding the other skeleton’s hands and pulling them away from Error so he couldn’t hide his reaction.

As soon as Reaper touched Error’s hands, Error flinched. Static and stabbing pain immediately coursed through Error’s bones where their hands touched. His hands pixilated and fuzzed. His eye lights were hidden behind waves of ‘ERROR’ sighs. And a scream wrenched its way out of his quickly tightening throat.

Reaper’s sockets went wide and the god immediately let go of Error’s hands as if his touch burned. Reaper could feel the tingle of Error’s body basically breaking apart in his hands. His soul pounded and Reaper _panicked_. Had his death touch suddenly start working again?! He thought he could touch Error with no problem! Did he hurt his Geno!? “Geno! Geno are you okay!? What’s wrong?!” Reaper fretted as he outstretched his hand helplessly. Stars he was going to lose Geno again!

Error flinched and teleported back giving himself some distance from Reaper. Error panted and grit his teeth through the pain until it subsided. Once Error had his vision back he glared daggers at Reaper. “DON’T FUCKING TOUCH ME!” Error screamed at a panicked and confused Reaper. “And I already told you, my name is Error!”

“Gen- Error, I’m sorry.” Reaper spoke, his voice thick with heavy remorse. He was shaking. Stars he never wanted to hear Error scream like that again. Reaper knew what truly painful, life ending screams sounded like, and he could tell that Error was in real pain. Stars what the hell happened?

Error sighed when he saw just how upset Reaper was. The glitches around Error’s body died down a bit and he looked to the side, unable to hold the god’s gaze that made his soul feel weird. “It’s whatever, just don’t do it again. I have haphephobia for a reason…”

Reaper had heard that the world destroyer was haphephobic, but he thought that was just something people said because, well, Error hated everyone. He had no idea touch caused Error _physical pain_. “Sorry…” Was all Reaper could say while looking down. “I didn’t…” He had hurt Geno. His hands caused his love pain.

Error watched Reaper wilt into himself with such a scared and distraught look. It tugged at Error’s soul in a weird way. Error rubbed at his chest in reaction to the strange feeling only to realize his strings were still tied around Reaper’s finger. Error looked down at his own hand where the strings wrapped around his fingers and he sighed softly. With a gentle tug, Error pulled on the strings causing Reaper to look up and float forward. Error kept tugging him forward till they were next to each other, but still not touching. “Hey, it’s okay, you didn’t know. But now you do. So don’t beat yourself up over it, alright? You look pathetic when you pout like that.”

Reaper blinked before smiling softly. Error was trying to make him feel better. His soul felt a familiar warmth that he thought would be forever lost when Geno disappeared. “Heh, so does that mean you find me handsome when I smile?” Reaper countered, ready to thank Error by making him flustered yet again.

Predictably Error glared at Reaper with a telling blush. “You are not handsome! You’re creepy!” Error growled and pulled up his scarf higher to hide his annoying blush until his stupid magic would calm down. Damn it why was Reaper messing with him so much? He is not charming, he’s an idiot and Error ate bad chocolate and now his magic is acting up, that’s all!

Reaper chuckled at Error’s reaction before flinching and looking around them. The world continued to crumble until there was nothing left. The AU disappeared into a black void. Nothing was left except him, Error, and the free floating souls. “Well, this place is gone. What now?” This was all new territory for Reaper. Usually Error would be gone by now and Reaper would only be just arriving to clean up the souls.

“Well this was the only world that was corrupted so I guess I’m done for the day.” Error commented with an almost lazy drawl. “I guess I could head home.” Error raised his hand ready to open a portal back to the anti-void.

“Wait, Error.” Reaper blurted and Error froze to stare at him with an annoyed, but questioning look. “Why don’t we go somewhere to relax?” He quickly offered. He finally got to spend time with Error and he didn’t want it to end. Stars knows when the next time Error would start destroying again.

Error gave Reaper an unimpressed look. “I can relax at home. Going somewhere where other anomalies are isn’t relaxing to me.”

Reaper gave a playful wink and held up a finger. “Ah, but what if we go somewhere where you won’t be bothered by any anomalies?”

“I’m already being bothered by one.” Error mumbled, but Reaper didn’t seem phased. Error sighed and considered Reaper’s proposal. It’s not like he had anything to do anyway. He’d probably just sit in his anti-void and watch Undernovela till he fell asleep… which is what he always does. Error mentally grumbled at his own boring schedule and decided Reaper’s offer was worth a try. He didn’t really hate Reaper’s company. When he wasn’t being a perverted idiot. So why not? He could go for some relaxing. “Fine.” Error relented. He was interested to see what AU Reaper considered relaxing.

Reaper smiled brightly. Finally, some quality time with Error. Maybe he could see if he can jog some of Geno’s memories while they’re out. “Alright, come with me.” Reaper pulled out his scythe and tore open a portal to an AU he knew Error wouldn’t be bothered by the inhabitants of. Well… so long as they stayed on land. Reaper held onto the threads connected to his finger as a way to guide Error without touching him and causing him pain.

Error stuck his free hand in his pocket while he held onto the threads with his other hand. He let Reaper guide him through the portal. He had no idea where they were going. He was expecting maybe a park in an above ground AU, or maybe a secluded part of Waterfall in another AU. But he was not expecting to step onto sand when he came through Reaper’s portal on the other end. They landed on a secluded beach. Error blinked and quickly removed his hand from his pocket to shield his sockets from the big setting sun that pooled over the horizon of a large ocean. To Reaper’s credit the AU was bare of its inhabitants. He wondered where the anomalies of this AU were. “What is this place?” Error asked as he looked around once his eye lights adjusted.

Reaper smiled when he felt the soft cool breeze from the ocean hit them. It contrasted the warmth of the setting sun. His hand tightened around the strings that connected him with Error as if he was squeezing Error’s hand. “This is a new AU. It’s pretty quiet and peaceful so long as you stay on the shore. It’s called LeviathanAU.”

Error stared out at the ocean with a critical look. LeviathanAU huh? Guessing from the name that means most of the anomalies in the AU are underwater. Some sort of nautical theme maybe? Error decided to check to be sure, so with a swipe of his hand he pulled up his control panel and searched the AU menu for its code.

Reaper blinked surprised as something like a transparent touch screen out of a sci-fi movie appeared before Error. He watched the glitch scroll through the touch screen with a flick of his fingers reading lines of code that honestly made Reaper’s head spin. It all looked like hieroglyphics to him. And Error was scrolling so fast!

Error froze as soon as he came to the character list and quickly his face contorted into a series of looks that ranged from shock, disgust, to fascination all in quick succession. “Whoa, Nightmare is huge in this AU… Heh he really is a calamari.” Satisfied that he knew what kind of AU he was in, Error swiped at the controls and the menu panel disappeared.

Reaper chuckled at Error’s comment, not fully understanding what he was talking about since he had never seen any of the inhabitants of this AU, but knew there was a dig at Nightmare somewhere in that statement. “So tell me, how long have you been able to read code of an AU?” Reaper asked as he got comfortable on the sand, sitting down with a relaxed sigh. He looked up at Error and patted the spot on the sand next to him.

Error hesitated for a moment, but when Reaper patted the spot next to him as a clear invitation to sit Error slowly moved to sit down too. The destroyer sighed as well, relaxing on the warm beach’s sand. He leaned back, soaking in the few rays of the setting sun. “For a while now. Pretty much as soon as I learned how to leave the anit-void, I learned how to read code of the world.”

Reaper flinched and looked over at Error with a serious look. “Anti-void?” He asked. What in the world was an anti-void? He knew what the void was, a place most Gaster’s from AU’s were sent to. A place that was dark yet darker. It was a vast space of nothingness and incredibly dangerous. Once you were lost to the void, it was near impossible to escape. Was this where Geno had been this whole time? Was this where Error went, the place that Reaper could never find?

Error picked at the strings on his fingers quietly, not sure why Reaper asking about the anti-void suddenly made him so… uncomfortable. Why? It was his home. Sure it wasn’t his home at first by choice, but overtime he came to enjoy its unique charms. The whiteness didn’t bother him anymore and the voices had calmed down. They were even kind of nice from time to time. “It’s my home. Just a blank empty space of white. It’s great if you don’t like clutter. And plenty of room to string up the souls of your enemies.” Error gave Reaper an evil grin, expecting to see a scared look, but was shocked when all he saw was a look of concern.

“It sounds… very lonely.” Reaper couldn’t help but compare the anti-void to Geno’s save screen. Stars had Geno just gone from one confinement to another? Reaper, Life, and Alphys had worked hard to find a way to let Geno out of the save screen alive, just to have him trapped in another one? “You mentioned you learned to read code of the world once you learned to leave the anti-void. Did that mean you were trapped there?” Reaper asked softly, scared to hear the answer.

Error frowned and looked back down at his stings. The same strings that came out of his eyes after years of crying for help. Screaming, begging to be saved from the anti-void. The memory was fuzzy like static, but still there. Something Error didn’t like to think about. Error’s grip on his strings tightened. “Can we change the subject?” He silently begged, not wanting to be reminded of the early days.

Reaper’s soul ached at the clear pain that question held, but kindly didn’t say anything. “Sure.” Reaper put on a forced soft smile, not wanting to tip Error off to how concerned he was. The two stayed in relative silence for a while, just enjoying the calm beach. The sound of clashing waves lapping up on shore filled the silence with a serene sound.

Everything was peaceful until a little splash off to the side announce the arrival of a newcomer. Reaper flinched, worried that someone from the AU being around would upset Error, but was surprised to hear Error chuckle next to him.

Error looked towards the sound of the splashing and noticed the resident Cross had surfaced. He looked a little out of it and was collecting trash that had stuck on seaweed and coral. Error’s chuckles died out as he watched Cross closer. Error hadn’t read too much about the AU’s code and story. A lot of it was new and ‘canon’ events often mingled with other creators ideas making the AU a hodgepodge of events. But he had read enough to know that this AU’s Cross shared in original Cross’ trauma in that they were both subjected to XGaster’s experiments. He wasn’t an expert on marine life, but he knew thanks to Cross’ character data that Cross collected trash when nesting because he never had a proper heat in the wild and always used what was available in his small tank in the lab. He was sure the other inhabitants were looking out for Cross, but just like the original Cross, this one was most likely stubborn and tried to stick to his solo soldier training habits.

Cross was an idiot in any AU.

Error tsked softly seeing Cross collect plastic soda can rings and other assorted trash, ready to use them to nest. He slowly got up from his spot on the beach and walked towards the sharkmer.

Reaper who was still connected to Error by the blue strings, got up and quietly floated behind Error, watching him with silent concern. Was Error going to attack the AU’s inhabitants? Error said he was done destroying for the day, but then again, he wasn’t the world destroyer for nothing. Reaper waited with a tenseness that wouldn’t leave is bones. He was also worried for Error. This Cross was a shark. A shark for crying out loud. A little more dangerous than a regular skeleton monster.

Error continued forward till his feet and sandals were under water, getting him as close to the out-of-it sharkmer as he could. Error watched Cross and noticed the other flinch and stare at Error with wide, scared sockets. Cross was in heat so his senses were going wild. He needed to nest, but Error was a stranger posing a threat. Error could tell Cross was torn between running to nest and staying to fight. Error frowned and sighed at Cross’ bared fangs. “Relax, I’m not going to attack. You’re in no shape to fight anyway.” The resident Cross slowly relaxed his posture and blinked up at Error. He seemed to understand, but was still hesitant to fully let his guard down. He seemed almost upset that Error pointed out he was in no shape to fight. Error wanted to smile, but held back. Instead he looked at Cross’ arms and grumbled. “And stop nesting in trash you idiot! You’re going to hurt yourself!” Error pointed at the pile of garbage in Cross’ arms. “If you need to nest, use something softer. Here…” Error quickly opened his inventory and pulled out a soft blue blanket. The threads were plush giving the blanket extra comfort. “You can shred it, use it whole, whatever I don’t care. Just don’t use garbage for your nest.” Error extended his hand, offering the blanket to the confused shark.

Cross stared Error down for a long while. His body was still hunched, ready to lunge and attack if needed, but he considered the strangers request. He looked down at the garbage in his arms, then at the blanket the other was offering. It took a while for Cross to reject his learned behavior, but he knew he wasn’t supposed to use trash. His instincts told him so and his shivermates had been trying to teach him. Slowly, Cross opened his arms and dropped his collection of garbage. He watched them float around for a bit before reaching up with a hesitant hand. He eyed Error for a long while before snatching the blanket out of Error’s hands and quickly swimming back a safe distance.

Error didn’t react. He watched Cross look over the blanket, sniffing it just to be sure it was safe before looking back at Error with a look that read ‘thank you’, before diving under water and disappearing.

Just as Error was about to turn away, content that Cross wasn’t using trash for his nest anymore, he noticed something under the water move. Something _big_. 

Error watched a large shadow with a bright cyan glow come close to the surface, but not actually breached the water. It looked as though the glow was trained critically on Error and Reaper before it too submerged deeper into the water. A smaller, almost unnoticeable golden glow following it. Error huffed and smiled. He supposed Nightmare was a mother hen no matter the AU.

Reaper stared in shock at the relatively easy interaction between Error and a resident Cross of the AU. “What just happened?” He asked, confused to see the destroyer of worlds give a gift to an ‘anomaly’.

Error quickly schooled his smile away and a light embarrassed dusting of color graced his cheeks. “You have to look out for Cross’s in AUs. Just like the original, they’re all stupid and end up hurting themselves. Idiot was going to nest in a pile of sharp plastic and garbage, like the moron he is. No self-preservation, the lot of them.” Error was just keeping this AU and its abominations whole until _he_ decided to destroy them all, that’s all. Not at all because he cared about Cross and because AU versions of him were all so damn similar. Nope.

Reaper smiled softly at Error and crossed his arms, leaning in close to give the destroyer a shit eating grin. “You _care_ about them. That’s so sweet.”

“I DO NOT!” Error shouted, turning to Reaper with a glare and definitely not a growing, flustered blush. “I HATE ALL THE DIRTY GLITCHES OF THE MULTIVERSE!”

Reaper gave a fake surprised gasp and placed a hand over his chest, the same one that was still connected by Error’s strings. “Even me?”

“ESPECIALLY YOU!” Error spat, his skull completely glowing with yellow and specs of blue.

Reaper smirked at the adorable blush on Error’s skull and leaned in even closer, their faces just inches apart. “Do you _really_?”

Error froze. Reaper was so close. Too close! He was staring right at him. Error’s soul pounded in his chest. It felt like it was going to flutter out of his ribcage. Stars he was nervous. Wait no! Error did not get nervous! He was the destroyer damn it! This asshole needed out of his space! Not thinking, Error quickly shoved Reaper away. “Don’t get so close you asshole!”

“Ack! Error!” Reaper fell back onto the sand below with an oof, but because they were still connected by Error’s strings, he ended up pulling Error with him. Reaper grunted when Error yelped and landed right on his chest. Immediately Reaper _panicked_ , worried that he was going to hurt Error again by touching him. “Error?! You okay?”

Error groaned and pushed himself up on Reaper’s chest. “Ouch… Yeah… I’m alright.” He looked down at Reaper with an unimpressed look. He wanted to yell at Reaper, but Error knew it was his fault they fell. He should have remembered they were still connected. Damn it, Reaper was so stupid he was infecting Error with it! He knew stupidity was contagious! “I’m untying us so you don’t end up dragging me off a cliff or something.” Error grumbled and grabbed Reaper’s hand as he picked at the threads tied around the god’s wrist and finger.

Reaper blinked in stunned silence as Error grabbed his hand, still basically sitting on his lap, as he untied their strings. “Error…” Reaper started with a soft voice. “You’re not hurting? Or glitching?” He asked with a hint of hope.

Error stared at Reaper confused. What the hell does he mean is he hurting or glitching- holly stars he’s not hurting or glitching! Error’s confused expression turned to one of shock as he looked at the hand in his own. He was touching Reaper and it didn’t hurt. He was _touching_ Reaper and it didn’t hurt! Error experimentally squeezed the god’s hand to double check, but all he felt was the faintest tingle of static fizzling, but there was no pain. “It doesn’t hurt…” Error repeated in awe.

Reaper’s skull flushed when Error squeezed his hand. Stars it had been so long since he had been able to hold Geno’s and. To touch him, to hug him. Reaper ever so gently squeezed Error’s hand back and was relieved to see no glitching or obvious signs of pain besides a small patch of fizzling pixles. “Error…?” Reaper questioned again as he reached up with his other hand to gently cup the glitch’s cheek.

Geno was holding his hand. His Geno was right there on top of him.

As soon as Reaper’s other hand touched Error’s face, the pain came back. Error flinched and quickly let go of Reaper’s hand, falling off to the side and scooting away from the god as he held his stinging cheek. “Agh! Damn it!” Error cursed and closed his sockets to hold back the tears of pain.

Reaper panicked. His fear skyrocketed and he scrambled after Error, but kept himself from touching the other. “Error! I’m sorry! I thought-“

“Don’t!” Error shouted, not wanting to hear Reaper’s apology. It wasn’t Reaper’s fault. Even Error had thought he could suddenly handle touch again, but apparently his stupid body was just playing a trick on him. A cruel joke, dangling the prospect of actually being able to be touched without being hurt, just to cruelly go back to the burning pain again. Stupid broken glitched body! “Damn it…” Error cursed at himself, annoyed that he actually fell for it.

“What happened? You were just fine a minute ago…” Reaper was confused and his soul _ached_ to see Error so upset.

“I don’t know.” Error grumbled finally able to open his sockets now that he knew he wasn’t going to cry in front of the other. “My body is just weird. I am a glitch after all.”

Reaper frowned even harder at that. Geno was a glitch too, but it never hurt him to be touched. Maybe it had something to do with Geno’s new body as Error. But still, Error was able to touch him, even if it was only for a little bit. “Maybe it’s because you weren’t thinking about it the first time. You were focused on untying the strings, so you didn’t have a chance to think about the touch.” Reaper offered as he looked down at the now loose threads on the sandy beach.

Error followed Reaper’s gaze and thought for a moment what the other said. Maybe Reaper was right. Maybe Error had become so accustomed to being hurt when there was touch that the fear of touch caused pain. And when he wasn’t thinking about it, his mind couldn’t trigger pain. Error looked at his own hand and flexed his fingers. He could still feel the lingering chill of Reaper’s hand, and the warmth the contact left. He wondered if he could use Reaper to test this theory. “Maybe.” Error agreed quietly, deep in thought. “Might need to try again sometime.”

Reaper smiled softly, seeing Error look at his hand. Maybe Reaper could help, somehow. Touch wasn’t a thing Reaper could normally do, at least not without killing someone, so to see an opportunity to help someone out, especially his love Geno, he was more than willing to lend a hand so to speak. “Yeah, we can try again sometime.” He agreed with a soft smile. “I just don’t want to hurt you… But if I can help, heh, I’ll lend you a hand.” Reaper finished with a soft sincere smile instead of a flirty wink.

Error finally looked up from his hand and saw the way Reaper was staring at him.

That look…

It made his soul flutter again.

Error took the hand he was looking at and rubbed at his sternum while he averted his gaze. He could already tell his skull was probably glowing a bit. Stupid soul making weird stupid emotions he didn’t understand. “Right… Well it’s getting late. So I’m going to head back home.” Error had to get away, he didn’t know why he felt like this around Reaper. Maybe they’d hung out too much? Or it was because they held hands earlier?

Oh…

That was the first time Error held hands with anyone…

His soul was pounding now.

Stupid organ, stop!

Reaper’s smile dropped just a bit but he decided not to push Error. “Yeah, it is getting late. I guess we’ll have to wait until the next corrupted AU to hang out again.” Reaper couldn’t hold back the disappointment in his voice. Being away from Geno for so long after finally finding him again was painful. But he didn’t want to push Error and scare the other off.

He only had one chance to get Geno back.

Error looked over at Reaper and frowned. He supposed he didn’t mind hanging out with Reaper. The god didn’t try to stop him from destroying, as promised. He simply watched him work. Hell he even invited him to hang out more and took him to a relatively empty AU so anomalies wouldn’t annoy them. If he thought about it, Reaper was actually kind of good company. Sure he was a perv and an idiot, but… he wasn’t all _that_ bad. Kind of like Blue, Cross, Nightmare, and the gang. With a sigh, Error pulled his phone out of his inventory and opened a new empty contact entry. He quietly handed his phone over to Reaper while he refused to make eye contact. “Here.”

Reaper blinked surprised at the phone offered to him. He carefully took it out of Error’s hands and looked at the empty contact screen. Still confused, Reaper looked back up at Error, wondering why he gave him his phone.

“You’re on the UTMV Data Plan, right? The one Sci created so you can do cross universe calls and texts.” Error asked, glancing over at Reaper.

“Well… yeah?” Still clueless Reaper blinked again, his hollow sockets staring at Error.

“Then put your stupid number in so we can text to set up another time to hang out. Idiot.” Error flushed, embarrassed he had to spell it out.

It took a moment for Reaper to comprehend what Error just said, but when he did he gasped. “Oh! Right!” Reaper quickly typed in his name and number into Error’s phone. He also sent a quick text to himself so he had Error’s number too. Oh stars he had Error’s number! Texting had played a huge roll in his and Geno’s relationship. It was used to get close to the glitch when they were still just friends getting to know one another, and then it became invaluable when courting Geno. Since Geno was so shy and always denying his feelings, kicking Reaper out of the save screen whenever he got too flustered, Reaper resorted to texting to flirt his way into Geno’s heart. And now he had Error’s number! This was going to make getting information out of Error much easier. And possibly jog some of Geno’s memories!

Once reaper got the text on his own phone confirming he had Error’s number, he handed Error back his phone with a huge smile.

Error watched the look on Reaper’s face the whole time. Why was the other so excited just to text? And did the shadowy wisps of his robe form little hearts? Error felt his skull light up even more. It was weird to have someone so excited to hang out with him. Him, the world destroyer. There had to be something wrong with Reaper. Maybe he was dropped on his head or something. Error quietly pondered this while storing his phone back into his inventory. “Spam me with texts and I’ll block you.” Error warned as he got up off the sandy beach and brushed himself off.

“But I can text you?” Reaper asked, excited. He too got up and floated close to Error with a happy smile.

“Just not too much.” Error warned again as he opened a portal back to his anti-void. He looked back over at Reaper and pulled up his scarf to hide his face. “Thanks for hanging out with me…”

Reaper’s smile softened to a real sincere one. “Thank you for inviting me. Can’t wait to hang out again.”

Error could only look at that smile for a little bit before his soul started fluttering again so Error quickly turned away and muttered a quick “Later.” Before stepping through his portal and vanishing.

Reaper watched Error leave and sighed softly. It was a rocky start, but he felt like they were making progress. Error… really wasn’t all that bad. Reaper continued to think about the events of the day as he opened a portal back home to Reapertale. He portaled right to his living room and was immediately stopped by his brother. Reaper looked up at Papyrus who looked surprised to see him.

“Brother? Where were you? There was a destroyed AU and normally you take those souls, but you weren’t around.” Papyrus stepped closer, worried that maybe Reaper had an altercation with the world destroyer, considering the past incident weeks ago.

“Oh, sorry Paps. I was… hanging out with a friend.” Reaper decided to answer with a bit of truth.

“Oh! You were with Lady Toriel?” Papyrus smiled, more relaxed now that he knew his brother was safe.

Reaper chuckled and shook his head. “Nope, made a new friend.”

Papyrus beamed and placed his hands on his hips. “A new friend? That’s wonderful, Sans! When do I get to meet them?”

Reaper felt a nervous sweat drop down his skull and his smile twitched. “Uh it’s a new friendship so give it a while before I show them around, kay Paps?” Reaper wasn’t exactly sure how well his brother would handle Reaper’s new ‘friend’ being the world destroyer. Hell he wasn’t sure how he would be able to explain anything without sounding crazy. Papyrus was kind and understanding, but even his brother had limits. With no one else having any memory of Geno, it would be odd to others for Reaper to have a sudden interest in the multiverse’s most dangerous enemy.

“Understandable brother. I shall wait until your friendship blossoms before making my acquaintance with your new friend.” Papyrus then turned and headed towards the kitchen. He called out over his shoulder to Reaper. “Would you like me to put on a cup of coffee while you regale me with your day’s adventures?”

Reaper smiled at the thoughtful gesture. His brother was the best. Always supportive, especially when it came to Reaper getting out and meeting new people. While Papyrus tried to make friends and was avoided because he was a god of death, Reaper on the other hand just plain avoided people _because_ he was a god of death. Papyrus was always constantly trying to push Reaper to get out more and make friends, worried that Reaper was lonely. The fact was, Reaper didn’t really like the company of others. Only a select few. And he already knew who those select few were. He just needed to set the right events in motion to have those select few in his life again. He had lost Geno once, so he was determined to work hard so he wouldn’t lose him again. And in order to do that, he needed to play his cards right with Error. “Nah Paps, I’m actually kind of beat. I’m going to head to bed. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Alright, good night brother!” Papyrus called from the kitchen as Reaper floated up the stairs to his room.

As Reaper closed the door to his room he sighed with a content smile before flopping onto his bed. The day had been actually pretty nice all things considered. Reaper never knew that Error was rather important to the health of the multiverse. The new discovery left an odd feeling in Reaper. On one hand he happy to hear Geno hadn’t completely lost himself. There still seemed to be a little bit of kindness and warmth in Error that resembled strongly of Geno’s kind gentle nature. But on the other hand, Reaper knew that Error’s job was ultimately to destroy all the AU’s. He wasn’t sure when Error would get to that point, but when he did, would it change Reaper’s perception of Geno? Reaper… honestly wasn’t sure. Maybe at first he thought so, but after spending time with Error, he found he rather enjoyed being around the destroyer.

Thinking about Error, Reaper pulled out his phone from his inventory and scrolled to the message he had text himself earlier so he had Error’s number. Reaper smiled softly at the familiar feeling of texting someone he cared about. So, Reaper typed up a quick, simple text.

::Reaper::  
I had a nice time hanging out today. Can’t wait to chill again.  
Good night Error <3

Reaper smiled at the heart emoji, sure that because of it Error would make that adorable flustered face that he had gotten to see a bunch of today.

It didn’t take long for Reaper’s phone to ping with a new text. His soul did a little flip and he quickly opened it, knowing it was from Error.

::Error::  
night

It was small, but to Reaper that little text was everything. Reaper smiled and set his phone on Geno’s half of the bed, staring at the text as he closed his sockets and let himself drift off to sleep.

It was small, but it was a start.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two AU's visited so far! o(*^▽^*)o Many more to visit in the future!  
> 1\. Bad Brother AU by the UT Community  
> 2\. Leviathan AU by [Skumhuu](https://twitter.com/skumhuu)  
> If you haven't already, you should really check out Skumhuu's work and their AUs. (ﾉ^ヮ^)ﾉ*:・ﾟ✧
> 
> It's safe to say so far things are a little rocky between Reaper and Error. Reaper continues to deadname Error even after he's told Reaper his name. On top of that, anytime there's anything bad associated with Error, Reaper refers to him as Error in his head. But anything that's good about Error, he refers to him as Geno. There's a bit of a disconnect with reality. Reaper is still struggling to really come to terms that Geno is gone, going so far as to think all he needs to do is "save" Geno from Error. 
> 
> The two definitely have a long way to go, but at least the ground work is there for them to build a friendship.


End file.
